Sushruta October 2021

SUSHRUTA JOURNAL OF HEALTH POLICY & OPINION

Silver Jubilee

AWARDS

2012-2021

CONFERENCE

25 YEARS

RETROSPECTIVE

VOL 14 | ISSUE 3| OCT 2021

SUSHRUTA | Vol 14 | Issue 3

SILVER JUBILEE EDITION

Contents TITLE Conference Program Organising Committee BAPIO Song Reflections from the President - R Mehta Perspectives from the Editors- V Zamvar Beyond Barriers - JS Bamrah Conference Themes & Presentations Innovation in Education - Parag Singhal Equity & Fairness - Hina Shahid Go West Young One - M Aamer Sarfraz On Belonging - Indranil Chakravorty My CSA Journey- Sanjeev Maskara Stranded Doctors - Savita Bansal ADR Visa Policy- Abhinav Raj Reducing Violence towards Health Professionals - Indranil Chakravorty Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health of Adults with Autism in India -

PAGE 05 11 15 17 19 20 23 25 36 44 45 48 49 51 53 59

R Roy & A Javed Why is there a pandemic of Heart disease & Type 2 diabetes among S

66

Asians - Raj Bhopal Geopolitical Conflicts & Impact on Healthcare -

69

Zaara Nabi & Ghulam Nabi Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Global Healthcare Systems-

72

Parth Jain Reflections of a Psychiatrist -

76

Robert Kaplan Voyage to Recovery Nandini Chakraborty

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77

01

SUSHRUTA JOURNAL OF HEALTH POLICY & OPINION Editors -in-Chief Professor Indranil Chakravorty PhD FRCP Mr Vipin Zamvar, MS FRCS(CTh) Mr Abhay Chopada MS FRCS Associate Editors Research - Dr Subarna Chakravorty PhD MRCPCH FRCPath Medical Education - Dr Anantha Krishnan Raghuraman MSc MD FRCP Mental Health – Dr Ashok Kumar Jainer MBBS MD FRCPsych Climate Change - Catherine Dominic Public Health - Dr Ramyadevi Ravindrane BSc MBBS Student affairs/ Blog – Triya Anushka Chakravorty BA (Oxon) Leadership & Management - Dr Godwin Simon MBBS MD FRCP Editorial Advisors Professor JS Bamrah, CBE FRCPsych Dr Ramesh Mehta OBE MD FRCPCH Professor Parag Singhal MSc MPhil MD Editorial Board Professor Geeta Menon MS FRCOpth Dame Professor Parveen Kumar DBE, BSc, MD, DM, DEd, FRCP, FRCP(L&E), FRCPath, FIAP Dr Veena Daga MBBS MD FRCA Dr Arun Kumar Gupta MBBS MD Psych Dr Suparna Dasgupta MBBS FRCPCH MSc Judith Gower LLM FRSA Professor Soumit Dasgupta MBBS MS FRCS FRCP Mr Gopal K Mahadev MS FRCS Dr Sahana Rao MBBS MRCPCH Dr Jyothi Srinivas MBBS MRCPCH Professor Dhananjaya Sharma MS Dhananjay Raje MSc PhD Statistics, CSTAT (Royal Statistical Society, London) Ms Cielito Caneja BSN-RN, MSN, PgDipH-ed, BSc-INP, MSc- DIC, DipClinMed Mr Priyank Sinha MRCS, EANS, MD (Res), FRCS (SN) Dr Raja Jayaram MD DPhil Ms Ritwika Roy MSc Professor Sudhakar Pemminati PHD (Med Pharm), MSc(Med Pharm), Pharm B & D, PDCR Sushruta Journal of Health Policy & Opinion ISSN 2732-5164 (Online) ISSN 2732-5156 (Print) @SushrutaUK (c) Sushruta Established 2007

Journal site https://www.sushrutajnl.net Website https://www.sushruta.uk Editorial team editor.sushruta@bapio.co.uk Published in the UK by BAPIO Publications BAPIO, The Chapel, Trinity House, 9-11 Bromham Road, Bedford, UK admin@bapio.co.uk Sushruta is published as a quarterly, open-access, scholarly journal for professionals and scientists associated with research and delivery of health care and its policy. The scope of this journal includes the full range of diverse, multi-professional health and social care workforce and global partners.

The journal aims to represent the breadth of issues on health policy and opinions which impact the readership, affect them, and the wider healthcare community. The readership includes undergraduates, postgraduates, and established professionals globally.

The views expressed, are of the authors and peer-reviewed (open) by independent global experts. The editorial board does not limit or direct the content except in maintaining professionalism, checking the evidence base for references (where relevant). All care is taken to ensure that articles comply with current UK law and are GDPR compliant.

The members of the Editorial Board are voluntary, appointed for a 3-year term with mutually agreed extension for an additional 2 years. They are editorially independent of the sponsoring organisation (BAPIO).

Sushruta is published by BAPIO Publications Ltd in print, pdf, and online. The Journal aims to fully comply with the Code of Publication Ethics. The Editorial Board meets every month on Thursdays online. All minutes of meetings are available. The Board has defined its mission, business, and sustainability plan for 2020-2023. This is available on request. Membership is open to any healthcare professionals from the UK, the Indian sub-continent, and across the world. BAPIO is affiliated to the Global Association of Physicians of Indian Origin and other similar organisations.

SUSHRUTA | VOL 14 | OCT 2021 | ISSUE NO. 3

#BAPIO25 SILVER JUBILEE Conference Edition

FRIDAY 21 OCTOBER 2021

Registration | 09:00

Inauguration | 09:20

Keynote | Ruth May | 09:45

Leading for Excellence | 10:00

Coffee | 11:00 Guest Lecture | Sue Tranka | 11:15

Breaking Barriers | 11:30

Lunch | 13:00-13:45

07

FRIDAY 21 OCTOBER 2021 Keynote | Ged Byrne | 13:45 International Fellowship | 14:00-14:45

Coffee Break | 14:45

Women's Forum | 15:00 -15:45

GP Forum | 15:45-16:30

Safety & Wellbeing Forum | 16:30-17:15

Vote of thanks | 17:15

Faculty Dinner | 19:00

SATURDAY 22 OCT 2021

Wellbeing session | 07:00

Morning Session | 08:30

Equity & Fairness | 10:00

Coffee break | 10:50 Keynote | Sir David Nicholson | 11:10

BAPIO Training Academy | 11:40

Keynote | Charlie Massey | 12:30

Lunch | 13:00 - 13:45

09

SATURDAY 22 OCT 2021 Research & Innovation | Wawickshire Suite | 13:45-16:00

Keynote | Prerna Issar | 13:45

Tackling Discrimination | 14:15

Coffee break | 15:00 Keynote | Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws | 15:15

Supporting Doctors | 15:45

Chairman's Session | 16:30

Vote of thanks Subrahmanyan Radhakrishna

Drinks, Awards & Dinner | 18:30

SUNDAY 23 OCT 2021

Health Walk | 08:00 Morning Walk Organisers: Dr Ravi Baikady & Dr Kinnari Mehta(Complimentary BAPIO Tee shirts to walkers)

Registration | 09:00 Welcome - Neeraj Bhala

Research & Innovation | 09:30 BAPIO Institute for Health Research oral presentations Chairs - Subarna Chakravorty & Sunil Daga

SAS & LED Session | 10:30 Debate: “The new contract will provide Recognition to SAS Doctors” For: Rajesh Against: tbc Moderators: Amit Kochhar & Beryl DeSouza Chairs: Dr GajananChair K Gajanan

Coffee break | 11:00 Faculty of Leadership | 11:15 Navina Evans | Vijay Nayar Panel Discussion Chairs: Geeta Menon & M Hemadri

Health & Wellbeing Forum | 12:00 Health and wellbeing: Is it a necessity or a luxury? Saraswati Hosdurga Self-care and healing through creativity - Geetha Upadhyaya Chairs: Payal Mehta & Ravi Baikady

Paediatric Forum | 12:30 How BACCH and BAPIO can work together to make a difference? - Doug Simkiss Challenges and opportunities of working in leadership role in the biggest NHS trust in UK.- Anjum Gandhi Successful working partnerships in paediatrics with India –Leading by example Satish Rao Chairs: Neha Sharma & Subramaniam Mahadevan -Bava

Lunch | 13:00 Vote of thanks - CR Chandra

#BAPI025 | SILVER JUBILEE CONFERENCE EDGBASTON STADIUM, BIRMINGHAM B5 7QU

Vol 14 | Issue 3 | Oct 21

11

Notes from the Silver Jubilee Team

'We did find the light together..' Renu Jainer It gives us immense pleasure on behalf of BAPIO Silver jubilee organising committee to invite you to join us in the Heart of England at Edgbaston cricket ground, Birmingham from 22-24 October 2021.

This event is the culmination of tireless work of many of us over the last one year despite the challenges of pandemic, to celebrate our achievements and will be a landmark in the history of BAPIO . Though our Annual Conferences have evolved into an important national event in the UK medical calendar this will indeed be a special one.

Since the launch of BAPIO in 1996 it has grown in stature and influence. With 13 divisions across the UK, 10 specialty fora and five arm’s length bodies (Medical Defence Shield, BAPIO Training Academy, BAPIO Institute for Health Research, British Indian Nurses Association and BAPIO Faculty of Leadership) our growth has been robust. We have made a significant contribution to the agenda for equality, diversity and inclusion. We have been committed to promoting professional excellence and leadership amongst our members, who are a growing family. The journey of this special event has indeed been incredible for us as we were navigating with lots of ifs and buts, and series of pandemic lockdowns. However we did find the light together with our President Ramesh Mehta, who was our torch bearer though likes to be called the 'foot soldier'.

Of course it could not have been possible without tremendous effort and discipline by Sajayan, West Midlands Chair. We started off with energetic work in different places, expanding and engaging the divisions and fora. Alongside work was going on for the production of a documentary with Loveena Tandon, a well known journalist and the recording of the BAPIO song with a perfect tune from Sethu, Saras and their team. Indranil Chakravorty and team put in a lot of effort to create this special edition of Sushruta.

We received nearly 100 scientific abstract submissions, contributions from national leaaders and international experts joining the brain storming panel discussions. There will be showcasing of the contributions of the arms-length bodies, regional divisions and fora. To arrange for a real event for around 400 people was a challenge in current circumstances. We were put on the back foot by the COVID19 surge in India in April - May. BAPIO team channelled their energy in supporting the people and medical fraternity in India. Now that challenge has subsided we are back. To add a special 'tadka' flavour we do have 'mela' with Henna art, ayurvedic treatments, ethnic apparels and jewellery stalls.

Together we have planned a fantastic programme for new beginnings. Do learn, enjoy, network, dream to reach over and beyond and let's make memories to last.

#BAPIO25 | SILVER JUBILEE CONFERENCE

ORGANISING COMMITTEE Achuthan Sajayan Ashok Nair

Renu Jainer Sapna Agrawal

Neeraj Bhala

Divya Prakash

Arun Dev Vellore

CR Chandrasekar

Pooja Arora

Krish Radhakrishna

Cherian George Sanjay Gupta

Arun Menon

Sanjay Vydianath,

Binu Raj

1996-2021

BAPIO25

Breaking Barriers

Bridging Gaps

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 Contributors

BAPIO25

15

Vol 14 | Issue 3 | Oct 21

16

Conceptions, Birth & First Steps Raj Kathane Reproduced from Sushruta 2011 Unlike the Immaculate conception or that of Brooklyn Beckham it is often difficult to determine exactly when the conception took place, especially if it is an idea! We had often tried to pin-point such a date for BAPIO; the nearest we could come to narrow it down, was perhaps the summer of 1994. And it certainly was not done at the first attempt! A group of us, some 10 or 12, used to sit around informally (in not smoke-filled rooms) to discuss many issues that affected the doctors in all different cadres: the GPs, the junior doctors, the middle grade doctors, the Consultants etc.

It was becoming clearer that there was growing frustration and exasperation within the doctors who came to the UK from other countries. There was a perception at that time that there was a greater chance that, if you were an immigrant doctor, that you were likely to be complained against, be referred to the GMC for wrong-doing and be punished, than if you were not. There was frustration amongst the immigrant doctors that the established systems may not always come to the help and rescue fully and that the outcome was often compromised and less than satisfactory. Being Indian, we started to narrow down the remit of such discussions to this context.

There was of course some organisation that did help the immigrant doctors but the name tended to suggest that it was for foreign and overseas doctors rather than the specific context being British, working in Britain and being of Indian Origin. Indian Origin, again, is a broad brush: people from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka have the same or comparable colour and morphology and it is often difficult to locate where one person may have come from.

Thus, there was perhaps a need for such doctors to 'belong' to a specific group.

Ramesh Mehta, for if there is a born leader, that is him (I have known him since 1966 from our medical school days as we were classmates, and I had personally seen many examples of his strong and skillful leadership), got thinking harder about such issues more than the others.

News came that in the USA, there was such an organisation for doctors of Indian Origin, the American Association of Physicians of India (AAPI). It was financially very rich and politically very active and had a great clout. One of their annual conferences was graced by President Bill Clinton. So here was the outline of the vision and the challenge for Ramesh!

The discussions began to crystallise with action plans. That would have been around 1995. A name began to emerge; many variations were suggested; great discussion took place and finally the current name was settled on. A small sub-group worked on the logo. Finally, the British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin was launched at a dinner meeting at a local Indian / Bangladeshi restaurant. That was Friday the 17th May 1996. Much background work was still going on and finally it was time for the National Launch of the Organisation. By now, there was the change of Government to Tony Blair's and Tessa Jowell was the Health Secretary; she was invited and accepted to inaugurate. That function took place in the Harpur Suite, Corn Exchange, Bedford

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Vol 14 | Issue 3 | Oct 21

17

25 years

In 2021, BAPIO reaches a major landmark in its journey. A journey which builds on a legacy of a quarter of a century of dreams and aspirations for thousands of doctors who have dedicated their professional lives to the service of the United Kingdom.

Ramesh Mehta OBE

President, British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin BAPIO was born as an organisation striving to gain equality, justice as well as professional excellence for doctors from the Indian sub-continent. Over its 25 years of actions we have highlighted the huge contribution of not only doctors from the Indian sub-continent, but also all immigrant medical professionals and minority ethnic professionals born and raised in the UK, who are a substantial proportion of the workforce.

BAPIO members have put their versatile talent, innovation and energy towards the sustainability and development of the UK National Health Service. At it's heart, our mission was and remains to promote equality and diversity while supporting doctors to be educators, researchers, leaders and always to provide excellent care to our patients.

As a national voluntary organisation and a valued stakeholder, BAPIO has been playing a major role in helping to shape the future of the NHS, for improving care, tackling inequalities and promoting health. We now have a global outlook. and our strategy is based on four pillars; Policy Education and Skills Support & Wellbeing Charity and promoting equality & justice

SUSHRUTAJNL.NET

Our vision for a fair & just society BAPIO has always been at the forefront of challenging injustice and unfair policies or implementation of discriminatory regulations to seek redress, but always in the spirit of collaboration and cooperation. We have only resorted to formal or legal routes when all negotiations have failed and equality or justice is at stake.

This, persistent DA across the career cycle had spurred BAPIO to chair the ‘Alliance for Equality in Healthcare Professions’

BAPIO challenged the UK Department of Health and the Home Office in 2006 when without any consultation the visa regulations were to be changed retrospectively. Our subsequent victory in the House of Lords was a significant milestone in our journey and unprecedented in the history of this nation.

Over the years we have established respectful, responsive and sustainable relations with the NHS, General Medical Council, the medical Royal Colleges, and Health Education England as well as Health Boards in the four nations. Despite our organisational and mission differences, we have fruitful collaboration with the British Medical Association on issues of common interest to our members.

Our strength lies in the networks developed in the four nations of the UK, making the voice of the minority ethnic doctors and international medical graduates heard through our regional divisions and specialty forums. These are our eyes and ears. They provide vital input into policy and plans with local experience and regional perspectives.

Differential attainment (DA) has been a major concern for us. It is not only demoralising for the doctors concerned, but also a major loss of talent for the nation. Thus, we challenged the Royal College of General Practitioners and the General Medical Council in a judicial review in 2014. Although we lost the case, the honourable Judge was complimentary to BAPIO saying it was a moral victory for the organisation. This case shook off the inertia about DA and the whole establishment started actively looking for solutions.

Unfortunately, seven years on from the landmark BAPIO v/s RCGP ruling in 2014, the differentials are still pronounced by ethnicity and gender over other protected characteristics. This, persistent DA across the career cycle had spurred BAPIO to chair the ‘Alliance for Equality in Healthcare Professions’ (AEHP). It was a mammoth effort from the AEHP to bring together multiple stakeholder organisations, training providers, academics, researchers, and grass-root professionals across a rigorously designed program of exploration on the lived experience of DA and associated drivers. Over 150 professionals made contributions to this project last year.

The recently launched report (BTG21), details the process, outcomes, and recommendations. It critically considers the progress that has been made and asks honest questions about the changing face of challenges that require intervention to make equity in medical careers a reality. The NHS Workforce Race Equality Standards and the Medical Race Equality Standards also mark progress in unearthing longstanding disparity. We hope that the outcome of the AEHP is complimentary to these but bolder in scope. We propose a series of actions to support a systematic shift over the next five years that properly values, celebrates, and makes use of the talent of the diverse workforce providing medical care in the UK. This is our vision for a fair and just society.

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PERSPECTIVES

Vol 14 | Issue 3 | Oct 21

19

25 YEARS ON VIPIN ZAMVAR

This conference in Birmingham marks the 25th anniversary celebration of BAPIO. This is a special landmark. Much has changed in the UK in the last 25 years. Most of the changes have been for the better, but perhaps the pace of change could have been faster. BAPIO was formed to bring together the physicians of Indian origin under one umbrella; and even though the majority of our members are of Indian origin, there are representations from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka as well.

In fact the entire Indian subcontinent is reflected in BAPIO’s membership.

The immediate catalyst for the formation of BAPIO was the desire to do something about the clear injustice that some doctors of Indian origin were facing in the NHS. There were obvious systemic barriers to many of them realising their full potential.

There were also glaring examples of Indian doctors running into difficulties, while local doctors under similar circumstances had a different, much more supportive experience. हम आह भी भरते है, तो हो जाते है बदनाम, वो कत्ल भी करे तो चर्चा नही होती (My mere sigh defames me, my reputation gets crushed; But some may commit murder, and it is not even discussed) Many doctors considered this a part of the game, and chose to accept the situation and move on. Others felt this had to be called out, with the hope that the inequality would be abolished. The latter were those who slowly moved towards the creation of BAPIO. There are still issues that require attention. For example, differential attainment of minority ethnic and doctors who qualified overseas - still exists, which demoralises and demotivates crucial members of the medical workforce. This has moved up the agenda; many organisations now recognise that this is an issue and have set targets for abolishing.

SUSHRUTAJNL.NET

In this issue of Sushruta, Claire Light from the GMC describes the clear, unambiguous target that the GMC has set for itself. Other leaders from the establishment (for example, the Royal Colleges and, the Deaneries) similarly acknowledge the scale of the problem of differential attainment and how they hope to address it.

BAPIO over the years has formalised many of its core objectives. The aim of the organisation is to help its members develop and improve their career prospects, and to achieve professional excellence. It also aims to monitor, highlight, and hopefully help address the difficulties faced by doctors and ensure systems are appropriately modified to facilitate the required change.

While initially the organisation focussed on doctors, in recent years, BAPIO has embraced nurses of Indian origin as well (under the auspices of BINA). BAPIO has also increased its involvement in charity work.

As we celebrate the previous 25 years of BAPIO, we should also look forward to the future. Hopefully, by the time we celebrate 50 years of BAPIO, the landscape will have changed for the better. We hope that by the time we reach 2046, our society is one where inequality and injustice would be a thing of the past. To take inspiration from Rabindranath Tagore, “into that world of justice, and equality, let BAPIO celebrate it’s 50th anniversary”. Let us move on from Akbar Allahabadi’s “wo katl bhi karte hai” mentality; and get inspiration from Iqbal’s, खुदी को कर बूलंद ईतना, क़ी हर तकदीर से पहले खुदा बंदे से खुद पुछे, बता तेरी रज़ा क्या है (Raise yourself to such heights, that Luck will be on your side, and God himself asks you what do you want) Let us all be the support network for all in our profession to help us ALL realise our full potential.

BEYOND THE BARRIERSHIGHWAY TO SUCCESS As BAPIO celebrates the silver anniversary of its existence this year, it is worth reflecting on where we came from, where we are now, and where our journey might take us.

When

Ramesh

Mehta,

founder

President,

laid

the

foundations of BAPIO all those years ago, he could not have imagined how the organisation would grow. His visionary prowess had determined even then that there international medical graduates had suffered significant hardship serving the NHS through the structural and institutional racism that he had witnessed. The NHS has had a particular attraction to those like him and me, as an institution that has a basic principle of providing universality and equality of care to all citizens. There is something very unique about this concept of care, something that has attracted many a bright doctor from across the seas. The most fertile ground for recruitment has been from the Commonwealth countries. Colonisation of countries in the Indian subcontinent has had the intended consequence of utilising those countries’ human resource for ensuring that United Kingdom has been able to turn on or off the tap of filling jobs depending on its requirements, and in the case of the NHS, the Indian subcontinent has served its purpose in more ways than one.

Indeed, the NHS would not have existed without the vital contribution of those migrant doctors who left their birth countries

for

achieving

professional

distinction

for

themselves, and a better quality of life for their families. But migration, whilst helping many to achieve those objectives, has proven costly to a significant minority. Aspirations of academic or clinical excellence have too often been quashed by less attractive jobs, unequal pay and differential pass rates in College examinations have dogged careers, and disproportionate sanctions have blighted many lives. The cost is unquantifiable, though in the case of some where suicide has been the tragic outcome, such as in the cases of Imran Yousaf and Sridharan Suresh, no compensation can be adequate.

SUSHRUTAJNL.NET

JS BAMRAH National Chairman, BAPIO

JS BAMRAH

These injustices have energised BAPIO into

But it discriminated against IMGs as they

an organisation that now stands proud of its record.

were not awarded CCTs until the GMC

The seed that Ramesh and a

overturned its own ruling following our

handful of his colleagues had sown twenty

request. There have been many other

five ago, has grown into a flourishing tree,

campaigns which we have either initiated

with thriving branches, blossoming flowers and

fruit

that

is

a

testament

to

or collaborated with other organisations

its

on. During the pandemic all our officers

achievements. Four arm’s length bodies (Medical

Defence

Shield

[MDS],

and many members particularly in the

BAPIO

BAPIO WhatsApp ThinkTank group have

Training Academy [BTA], BAPIO Institute for Health

Research

[BIHR],

Nurses

Association

Faculty

of

British

Indian

and

BAPIO

[BINA]

Leadership),

actively

and

Northern

SAS

specialty Forum,

to

evolving

fora

from Covid19 among BAME doctors; We were part of the Sir Simon Stevens strategy

and

achieving objectives as well as giving some

Her

against

A

the

Practitioners

second Royal (RCGP)

JR

was

College

NHS team spearheaded by Prerana

and

Issar, Chief People’s Officer, to support

launched General

the

General

India We gave evidence to the Lesley Hamilton

Medical Council (GMC) in 2014, after a

enquiry

significant number of IMGs contacted us

Manslaughter’ in the wake of the court

about a disproportionate pass rate in the

ruling

MRCGP examination. Although the court

together with our legal arm, MDS, we were

ruled that the examination was lawful, Mr

an

Justice Mitting nevertheless ruled that ‘it was

proceedings at the successful Supreme

time to act’ on the differential attainment

Court appeal which reinstated her on the

and significantly reduced the legal costs

medical register; in 2020, the GMC agreed

awarded to the RCGP.

to award a Certificate of Completion of

These were the public facing, high level

Training (CCT) to CESR (CP) (Certificate of

campaigns, but there have been many

Eligibility

others. BAPIO has campaigned on the

through

removal

trainees. Introduced by the GMC in 2007 it

of

the

Health

Surcharge

for

and

We were part of the Prime Minister’s

class

of

Personal

flaws

risk assessment tool which was also

citizens both in training but also future job prospects.

on

adapted by some English NHS Trusts;

thousands of IMGs on the Highly Specialised second

campaign Equipment

Welsh government in the roll out of a

undergraduates which would have rendered visa

and

BAPIO Wales collaborated with the

training posts for UK’s medical school

Programme

identifying

vaccine rollout;

Majesty’s

Government decision to prioritise speciality

Migrant

level

Protective

history. In 2006, BAPIO won a Judicial against

on

workers from COVID-19, resulting in a high

There have been many key moments in our (JR)

group

mitigating against risk to healthcare

financial stability.

Review

that

write to the Prime Minister and the

Young

policies

issues

NHS about the disproportionate deaths

Doctors’ Forum, and Wellbeing Forum) have contributed

key

BAPIO was the first organisation to the

national/regional

Ireland,

Forum,

highlighted

affected the NHS workforce.

divisions across England, Wales, Scotland, (Women’s

21

SUSHRUTA | Vol 14 | Issue 3

Beyond the Barriers

on

‘Gross

convicting

‘Interested

the

Hadiza Party’

for

Negligence

in

Bawa-Garba; the

court

Specialist

Registration

Combined

Programme)

healthcare workers and their families which

was the application route to specialist

was partly successful in that the government

registration

for to

doctors

last year removed it from the healthcare

appointed

professional but not their families,

programme above ST1.

the

who

specialty

SUSHRUTAJNL.NET

were training

during

launched

a

the

Covid

crisis;

successful

We

fund

and

equipment appeal amounting to over £500,000 with the support of APNA NHS and Doctors Association (UK), Our

arm’s

length

bodies

BTA

conducted teleconsultation with Indian colleagues, BIHR set up and successfully published research projects, BINA

actively

supported

many

distressed nurses and MDS

supported

cover

for

Indeed,

PLAB BAPIO

medical

litigation

stranded were

doctors.

the

main

organisation which supported 267 of these

stranded

doctors

who

had

arrived from 27 foreign shores to sit the PLAB exam but had got stuck due to the lockdown in March 2020.

JS BAMRAH National Chairman, BAPIO BAPIO/MDS was an ‘Interested Party’ in the

We want action, and so BAPIO

The NHS has an impending crisis in its

Viz and Joshi vs Her Majesty’s Government

will be focusing in the coming

workforce, and if the government and the

JR on PPE protection of healthcare workers, which

was

withdrawn

because

the

years

to

ensure

that

policy

NHS are to value our doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other healthcare workers,

government was pushed into action before

makers are held accountable on

the case could go to court. There were many

ensuring that there are tangible

would do its majority white population.

outcomes

The gaps in exam successes, jobs, pay and

novel

approaches

that

our

members

adopted during the Covid crisis. There were hundreds of virtual meetings, lectures and

from

the

many

enquiries and recommendations

it must nurture and support them as they

work conditions are no longer acceptable to our migrant and BAME workers. It is

conferences, there was wide collaboration

that already exist. We still have

now not possible to close the lid on an

with

the

opened Pandora’s box. Regulation has too

other

organisations,

some

of

our

members set up the BAPIO Wellness Group which

continues

competitive

to

cricket

thrive,

fun

matches

but

across

a

number of parts of the country with other

challenges

of

Differential

Attainment, and I am very proud to be involved in the Bridging the Gap project which was launched

often

failed

us,

and

that

is

surely

unacceptable3.

I like to end on a happy note though!

BAPIO’s twenty-fifth is a real time to

organisations, and we held two major virtual

by BIHR at the King’s Fund,

conferences.

courtesy of Lord Ajay Kakkar, on

Ramesh set out to do but also our

the 29th September 2021.

members and the immigrants and their

BAPIO

was

an

active

participant in the setting up of a new alldiscipline healthcare workers group, the

celebrate not just the success of what

generations who have contributed to the

BAME Consortium which was particularly

many achievements of the NHS. We have

influential within Public Health England

some of the brightest and best of doctors,

circles. Along with Trent Chambers, the

nurses and pharmacists and I have no

British

and

doubts that they are prepared to meet

of

with the challenges of a post-Covid world. I

Medical

Association Northern

of

Association Pakistani

Europe

(BMA)

Physicians

(APPNE)

we

have

am an optimist by nature, something that,

campaigned for the government to overturn

I dare say, I share with the great Indian

its stringent Adult Dependent Rules.

philosopher Rabindranath Tagore who

Doubtless I will have missed out many key

said: “I have become my own version of an

issues that we have led on or campaigned

optimist. If I can't make it through one

for. None of these are possible without the

door, I'll go through another door - or I'll

vision and energy of many of our leaders and

make a door. Something terrific will come

members, most of whom have worked

no matter how dark the present.”

entirely on a voluntary basis. And in a postCovid world we can no longer work in

References:

isolation. Global digitalisation has shrunk the world

considerably,

and

so

we

1. The NHS is 72 this year, covid-19 has

have

taught us some tough lessons. BMJ

partnered, and will continue to do so, with a

(2020) Bamrah JS, Randhawa G, Chand

number of organisations in the UK as well as

K,

abroad.

https://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2020/07/31/t

My sense about the future is that the

he-nhs-is-72-this-year-covid-19-has-

challenges that we have ahead of us remain

taught-us-some-tough-lessons/

significant. Although Black Lives Matter and

2.

Covid has shone a spotlight on existing

Singh

Bridging

the

J.

Gap

Report.

https://doi.org/10.38192/btg21

structural and institutional racism in the

3. Racism and the General Medical

NHS and society, I remain concerned that

Council.

we are not focussing on solutions.

Everington S, Esmail A. BMJ (2021).

As we said in a major article published in the

Racism

BMJ, we do not want any more enquires or

Council - The BMJ

data.

SUSHRUTAJNL.NET

Bamrah and

the

JS,

Mehta

General

R,

Medical

23

Saturday Research & Innovation Session Chairs Sunil Daga & Subarna Chakravorty Judges Prof A Elder (RCPE), (BIHR) In this session, the top 24 abstracts will be presented covering innovation, service development, quality improvement, clinical care and research. This session will showcase cutting edge ideas and outcomes from a whole range of clinical arena, from the UK and abroad.

Sunday Plenary Research & Innovation Session Chairs Sunil Daga & Subarna Chakravorty Judges Prof Indranil Chakravorty (BIHR), Prof Geeta Menon (BFL) and Prof Parag Singhal (BTA) In this session, the top abstracts will compete for prizes.

Posters will be presented electronically on icloud and plasma screens. All accepted abstracts will be published in the next edition of The Physician Journal of International Health.

The Research & Innovation session is sponsored by

BTA SESSION

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

SUSHRUTA | Vol 14 | Issue 3

BAPIO FACULTY OF LEADERSHIP The role of the healthcare professional as leader within the context of the future multidisciplinary team has never been more important. With this aim our objectives for the session are: Share the leadership journey of one our most inspiring leaders and her views on the importance of clinical leadership Launch of the BAPIO Faculty of Leadership (BFL) which will sit as an arm’s length body of BAPIO and thereby complete the pillars of professionalism namely teaching and training (BTA) and research (BIHR). Through the faculty we will provide access to leadership development and courses as well as developing talent panels to help create a database of healthcare professionals.

Present the outline of our “Leading through Education to Excellent Patient care” (LEEP) program, an inclusive leadership course designed to focus on developing as an individual, your teams and system literacy through the lens of cultural safety.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

#BAPI025 | SILVER JUBILEE CONFERENCE

25

INNOVATIONS IN EDUCATION THE INDO-UK TRAINING PROGRAMME PARAG SINGHAL The Indian Government has shown keen commitment to reforms in medical profession and education by a series of initiatives as National Health Agency (Ayushman Bharat) & National Medical Commission (NMC), New AIIMS etc. in the health sector. Indian medical schools use similar textbooks and curriculum to the UK, which means knowledge and skills are largely transferable between the two systems. Large numbers of doctors of Indian origin already practice in the NHS providing a useful support network for new arrivals. British training is internationally recognised and is attractive to doctors in India, especially to those who are unable to obtain a postgraduate seat there hereby narrowing this alarming gap.

Key features Doctors from India with postgraduate qualifications and who have completed their medical training in English seeking NHS experience at higher specialist levels will be selected.

These doctors will be enrolled in a UK university Masters or Diploma program in their respective specialties or in an MBA (Healthcare) program.

They will receive supervised training in Indian hospitals for 3-6 months (instead of the usual 12 months) after which they will arrive in the UK on a Tier-2 visa, subject to them achieving clinical competencies. BTA plans to have sponsorship for full GMC registration.

They will join a planned NHS hospital at registrar level at the same level as for UK trainees at the ST-3/ST-4 level.

The UK employers will be responsible for relocation and induction of doctors.

The local deanery/HEE will provide a certificate of satisfactory progress and completion of training at the end of the training of 2 years In addition to their local education and clinical supervisors, each international trainee will also receive a collegeappointed and a named BAPIO consultant as a mentor for the duration of their training

(2+3) International Emergency Medicine Training 2 years of training in Emergency Medicine in BTA accredited hospital in India followed by 3 years of training in UK (District General Hospitals & Tertiary Hospitals ) with support for passing FRCEM and MBA (2+2) International General Surgery Training 2 years of training in General Surgery in BTA accredited hospital in India followed by 2 years of training in UK hospitals with support for passing MRCS and MBA BAPIO Training Academy (BTA) will be the lead organization for this programme and be the link between India and UK. BTA will be responsible for creating a UK visiting faculty, coordinating the faculty visits, induction and mentoring.

Quality Assurance The programme in India will be closely monitored and audited by experts deputed by the BAPIO Training Academy and HEE. 360-degree feedback and real time intervention will be undertaken to safeguard the standard of the programme.

The Indo-UK Training Programme has been designed to assist Indian doctors seeking higher qualification and training and an aspiring career in medicine in India helping realising the dream of Ayushman Bharat. These training programs focus on Innovation, skill development and leadership across all aspects of medical education and empower young doctors to gain mobility between the two countries promoting joint prosperity of India and the UK. BTA INTERNATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR MEDICAL GRADUATES

Advanced Specialty Training Programs comprising of structured clinical training of Indian doctors in BTA approved quality assured Indian Hospitals for 2 years supported by MBA in Healthcare and Leadership from University of South Wales followed by 2-3 years of training in the UK with support for education and pastoral care.

This is a new scheme to provide UK level training in General Medicine /Emergency Medicine/ General Surgery/Paediatrics for interested Indian doctors who want to pursue higher training and gain world class experience but have been unable to obtain postgraduate seat.

Programmes offered under this scheme are 2+2) International General Medicine Training 2 years of training in General Medicine in BTA accredited hospital in India followed by 2 years of training in UK hospitals with support for passing MRCP and MBA

INDIA IS NOW PRODUCING OVER 83,275 MEDICAL GRADUATES THROUGH ITS NETWORK OF 558 MEDICAL COLLEGES. HOWEVER, THERE ARE LIMITED NUMBERS OF HIGH QUALITY POST GRADUATE TRAINING POSITIONS

FOR POST GRADUATES - FAST TRACK PROGRAMS This special scheme will enable young doctors holding PG qualifications from India (MD/DNB) in different specialties to obtain further training in the UK to enhance their skills in medical leadership, clinical medicine and research The NHS is one of the best healthcare systems in the world and offers world class training. However, in the recent years, the NHS has seen an acute shortage of trained medical staff with direct consequences on patient care and training. The existing COVID-19 scenario has only exacerbated this problem and brought to light the urgent need for medical staff, now more than ever.

While the UK has vacancies, India has a large pool of well-trained and experienced doctors, having completed their medical training in English, and holding postgraduate qualifications. These doctors can benefit from a period of specialist training in the NHS before returning to India to continue their medical careers.

#BAPI025 | SILVER JUBILEE CONFERENCE

SUSHRUTA | Vol 14 | Issue 3

MDS Session Being a doctor has many challenges. are

compounded

due

to

their

For some doctors the challenges

origin

or

characterisitcs,

especially

women, those from a BME origin and international medical graduates.

This session will explore some lived experiences from doctors so we can learn how to tackle challenges. It is always difficult to relive these experiences. Knowing the various issues itself provides an insight into the

many

pitfalls

that

usually

lead

to

trouble

and

guidance

on

prevention. .

The session will include a question-and-answer session where legal and medical

experts

including

those

from

Medical

Defence

Shield

will

answer questions about employment issues, fitness to practice, MHPS and clinical issues that a doctor may have to face during their career.

This session will explore why additional indemnity is necessary for all membership of a trade union is important. professional

legal

support

may

be

essential

and

in

what

for

good

circumstances one should be aware of the costs for obtaining legal cover. indemnity

should

include

‘category

two

cover’,

Samaritan acts and indemnity cover.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

#BAPI025 | SILVER JUBILEE CONFERENCE

cover

27

SUSHRUTA | Vol 14 | Issue 3

29

Breaking Barriers

The core founding principle of the NHS in 1948 was that free, highquality care would be delivered to all who need it regardless of wealth, class, skin colour, ethnicity, and so on.

In other words, the core founding values of the NHS were of compassion and inclusion. It is worth remembering that the NHS was founded in the aftermath of World War II when British society came together at a time of massive challenge and austerity, when it was clear that communities needed to be rebuilt. The pandemic has caused global disruption in ways we could never have imagined. Not unlike the aftermath of the 2nd World War, we are moving into a time when we have amazing opportunities to re-evaluate our priorities and give serious consideration to the lessons we have learnt from this disaster. We have clear evidence that people from ethnic minority groups are far more likely to die from Covid-19 and we have seen colleagues from minority groups suffer disproportionately.

So, I would argue that we have a powerful driver for taking the time to look closely at these issues as we plan our recovery.

The saying goes that “The road to hell is paved with good intentions”.

This has never been truer than our approach to breaking barriers. It simply isn’t good enough to have a poorly thought through intention to tackle Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in teams or organisations.

Sloppy and poorly thought through EDI programmes probably do more harm than good. There needs to be an intentionality about this work.

Time needs to be invested in it. Senior leadership needs to buy into the work and play an active role. It cannot be done in a kneejerk kind of way. Ensuring psychological safety is paramount for this work to succeed and so we need to be intentional, thorough and pay attention to detail, specifically the fears and feelings of the people we lead in our teams.

My sense is that this work needs to be underpinned by compassion and kindness. The concept of “ubuntu” is an African one which literally translates to “I am because you (or we) are”. Ubuntu celebrates our shared humanity and, in my opinion, is the foundation from which we should work as we seek to break down barriers and celebrate diversity.

When we acknowledge someone else’s experiences and perspectives and value them, then we are on the important journey towards creating inclusive groups where “difference” is celebrated rather than seen as a threat.

In the tough world of the workplace, we have to acknowledge that creating inclusive and diverse teams and celebrating difference can be challenging. In my experience, the key ingredient for success is strong and compassionate leadership.

Compassionate leadership craves inclusion. I would go further and suggest that the converse is true – if leadership is not inclusive, it is not compassionate. Leaders need to role model inclusion, and they need to create psychologically safe workplaces so that diversity can flourish. Barriers aren’t broken by sitting back and waiting for it to happen organically. Leaders need to step up and address tough issues, speak out when equality is not valued, act as allies, use their privilege to help others and above all, be kind.

I am convinced that, in the spirit of ubuntu, we can break down barriers and create inclusive and diverse teams where all can flourish.

Camilla Kingdon President, Royal College of Paediatrics & Child Health

#BAPI025 | SILVER JUBILEE CONFERENCEU

Dame Jane Dacre

D I F F E R E N T I A L

A T T A I N M E N T

unpacking differential attainment

31

Bhupinder Sandhu OBE

LEVELLING THE PLAYING FIELD BTG21

The British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (BAPIO) is to be congratulated for its excellent “Bridging the Gap” report. It is the product of much thought and work and will serve as an important template for action in coming years.

EQUALITY & EQUITY

DA IN ASSESSMENTS Andrew Elder, President, Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh

The General Medical Council are now committed to eliminate disproportionate complaints from employers about ethnic minority doctors and to eradicate disadvantage and discrimination in medical education and training. Anybody with any interest in equality - and equity – must support this.

Action Needed

What action is needed in the assessment community at this time? It is the responsibility of all who develop or deliver assessments of any sort, be they “high stakes” or “workplace based”, to measure, monitor and publish rates of DA, and to dissect all elements of the assessment to ensure that no aspect of its content, context or conduct might contribute to or worsen DA.

My own specific interest is in assessments, particularly “high stakes” summative examinations. “Differential attainment” (DA) between groups of individuals with different protected characteristics, including ethnicity, has been widely identified in medical training in both machine-marked MCQ and “face to face” clinical examinations. MRCP(UK), one of the world’s largest postgraduate medical examinations, and which I led, was amongst the first to publish evidence of such DA in 2007.

This basic finding provided the early focus for exploration of a phenomenon that is now known to extend far beyond the bounds of the content, structure or conduct of examinations in themselves. Examinations are a gauge, an explicit means by which disadvantage and discrimination in earlier education and training has been demonstrated. Research in the past 15 years has highlighted that although both high stakes examinations and workplace-based assessments can contribute to DA, they are not the sole or primary cause.

That simple point is a critical one. One response to the finding of DA in high stakes clinical examinations has been to suggest their abolition. Such abolition would not however eradicate disadvantage and discrimination in medical education and training, but would make it more difficult to monitor and detect. There may be sound pedagogic and psychometric arguments to move towards assessments that are based in the workplace, and focussed on what the trainee actually does, rather than how they perform in an examination setting, but these should be analysed separately. In “high stakes” settings, this should include, but not be limited to, clinical examiners’ stringency and leniency (“hawk-dove”) in relation to protected characteristics, and “differential item functioning” in written examinations.

Differential attainment damages individual doctors and the reputation of our profession. The GMC has asked the medical education and training community to eradicate it within the next ten years. It is the product of complex factors occurring at multiple stages in the training journey. Few other goals are of similarly high importance at this time and I look forward to working with BAPIO and other colleagues to define and implement the necessary solutions.

#BAPI025 | SILVER JUBILEE CONFERENCE

33

global learning benefits all Robin Proctor

BRIDGING THE GAP

Thanga KATIMADA

Despite the huge challenges facing the NHS, it is undoubtedly one of the best, when compared to other Public Sector Health Care systems the world over. None the less the NHS is facing unprecedented challenges and it is imperative that the cultural challenges within the NHS are resolved promptly to ensure that front line workers of all ethnicities are able to work collaboratively to uphold patient safety.

Statistically, non-UK NHS workers are overrepresented at the bottom rung of the hierarchy and grossly underrepresented at the top.

Although this is a gross disparity which is due to differential attainment resulting from discrimination, we must also see it as a position of pride. We are the arms and the legs of the NHS and we deliver the very purpose of the NHS. It is high time we wore this honour with pride , own our position within the NHS and take the bull by the horns and strive to resolve this elephant in the room which at the least distracts us from caring for our patients and the most sees us leaving our jobs to escape the trauma resulting from this discriminatory culture.

equality and diversity ourselves. Replacing discrimination with marginalization of our British Colleagues will certainly be counter productive to our objectives. However we must find in

The NHS is in the midst of a staffing crisis affecting the categories of NHS workers where ethnic minority workers form a sizable proportion. Of those who have braved to take on these jobs, 1/8 suffer discrimination and 1/5 leave in 3 years. For years now we have gathered data to evidence inequality, discrimination and differential attainment in the past. The big challenge was an acceptance by the NHS, the Deaneries and the Royal Colleges that the problem existed.

The recent Judicial Ruling that the GMC has engaged in racially discriminatory behaviour is a big step in the acceptance of the existence of the problem at the highest level of government.

Whilst task forces, policies and guidance can form the frame work to address and bridge the gap in attainment, the culture which exists in the day to day working of the NHS will need our active participation.

As drivers of change, we as individuals must ensure that we show the utmost integrity and accountability and embrace

ourselves the courage to stand up to unacceptable behaviour and state our objection to this. The years of meek acceptance of negative and discriminatory behaviour has in itself perpetuated this culture to the extent that it has become the norm.

We must also be conscious about the difference in our own behaviour towards our ethnic minority colleagues as compared to our British Colleagues. All level of ethnic minority workers, deserve the same respect that we have schooled ourselves to display when interacting with our British Colleagues. When we display disrespectful, insulting and undermining behaviour towards our ethnic minority colleagues, we set the standard for others who may perceive this as acceptable behaviour. When we seek change, it is important that we ensure that we have our own house in order.

#BAPIO25 | SILVER JUBILEE CONFERENCE

SUSHRUTA | Vol 14 | Issue 3

SUSHRUTA

35

GENERAL MEDICAL COUNCIL IMPROVING FAIRNESS TO SUPPORT DOCTORS AND PATIENT CARE

Claire Light

Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Strategy and Policy Directorate, General Medical Council

The impacts of racial discrimination and disadvantage longstanding. attainment

in

the

The gap

health

service

medical mirrors

are

education

the

broader

education attainment gap in society.

Our ED&I work has four key areas. Two involve us setting ourselves measurable targets - to eliminate disproportionate referrals from employers about ethnic minority doctors by 2026 and to eradicate disadvantage in medical education and training by 2031. We don’t have all the levers of control over these issues. These targets hold us accountable for the

Postgraduate exam pass rates reflect a 12%-point difference

ask we’re making of others, which puts us in a new position.

between white trainees and black and minority ethnic

It’s clear we all need to be pushed out of our comfort zones

(BME) UK graduated trainees, rising to over 30% for overseas

to deliver the progress that’s long overdue.

graduates. BME doctors are referred to us by employers at

Our third area focuses on how we’ll build more assurance

twice the rate of white doctors. This is particularly

that our processes are fair and consistent. We regularly

concerning because a much higher proportion of employer

commission independent research on the fairness of our

referrals result in an investigation (77% versus 9% from the

processes. The most recent independent audit of our fitness

public). This is everyone’s problem. The pace of addressing

to practise decisions found no evidence of bias in the way

these issues hasn’t matched the urgency and scale of the

decisions were reached. But we listen to feedback from

challenge. As BAPIO’s Bridging the Gap report highlights -

doctors and some still view our processes with fear. In

we must move from words to action. This is the right thing

response, we’ll regularly publish more information about

to do for those who face these challenges throughout their

how we consider fairness across everything we do. And we’re

careers. But these aren’t minority issues. In 2020, nearly 61%

developing a new approach to how we audit all our

of doctors joining the register identified as being from an

regulatory functions.

ethnic minority group, compared to 44% in 2017. Tackling

The fourth area involves us holding a mirror to ourselves and

these areas of inequality is vital to retain the doctors we have

becoming more representative of the people we work with

in our health services, and to support high quality patient

and for. We’re increasing diversity at all levels of the GMC

care.

and improving career progression for ethnic minority

Accelerating our equality, diversity and inclusion work

colleagues.

Some doctors feel that fairness is not central to our work at

critical priorities for UK health services. Doctors who work in

Addressing inequalities is one of the most

the GMC. But we’re determined to act and during 2021, we

supportive, inclusive environments deliver better patient

accelerated our equality, diversity and inclusion (ED&I)

care than when in closed, exclusionary ones. We’ll do

programme. We’ve committed to delivering this in our

everything we can to deliver long-lasting changes that can’t

corporate strategy for 2021-25.

be undone.

#BAPIO25 | SILVER JUBILEE CONFERENCE

HINA SHAHID Continued> The Hadiza-Bawa Garba case is emblematic of this; a female, ethnic minority, visibly Muslim junior doctor who had just returned from maternity leave was made a scapegoat for widespread systemic failings. Furthermore, ongoing work with ethnic minority Muslim doctors indicates that they experience discrimination and oppression that extends beyond the 9 legislated protected characteristics to include other aspects of identity such as international graduate status, accent, colourism, rank, geography, amongst others.

Using an intersectional lens to break barriers is vital to reveal invisible axes of discrimination and oppression and to appreciate that a one size fits all approach is insufficient- holistic and tailored personalised interventions are necessary to achieve equity and fairness that centre lived experience and address subgroup differential disadvantage. Furthermore, an asset-based approach to celebrate the strengths that diversity adds to the workplace and reconfiguring these identities as “productive resources” (Valander, 2012) can truly make doctors feel valued and empowered.

Trauma informed approach: early adverse experiences in medicine There is increasing awareness of the role of adverse childhood events (ACE) and life course approach that emphasise the critical and cumulative impact of trauma in early years and longitudinally across life. What if we apply this to trauma in the context of healthcare workers? For doctors like myself experience of discrimination and oppression start early on, even before entering medical school, for example at the medical school interview process.

At my medical school interview I was asked whether if I had to choose an effective bioterrorism weapon I would opt for anthrax or smallpox. As a young 17 year old recently returned from the Middle East having lived there for over a decade, I was stunned.

Subsequent experiences and encounters at medical school, postgraduate training and then post qualification lead to cumulative trauma. In addition to early intervention to eliminate discrimination, healing and wellbeing must also be core objectives that use a trauma-informed lens and to enable affected doctors to process their experiences and thrive.

EQUITY AND FAIRNESS: BREAKING BARRIERS IN MEDICINE COVID and BLM have galvanised interest in eliminating racial inequity in health and medicine that. This was particularly brought into sharp focus with statistics revealing that over 90% of doctors who died from COVID-19 in 2020 were from ethnic minority communities (BMA, 2020). Current approaches to addressing racial inequities in the medical workforce are flawed, focusing on standalone training events, individualising system problems and reductive approaches targeting single issues. In this article I propose five principles necessary to inform and transform our approaches to equity and fairness and break down barriers.

Intersectional lens: protected characteristics and productive resources The Equality Act 2010 identifies 9 protected characteristics (Gov UK, 2010). We know that a gender pay and career progression gap exists in medicine and discrimination around flexible working for women and lack of adequate childcare support (DHSC, 2020), ethnic minority doctors are more likely to be referred for fitness to practice processes, face higher sanctions and fail postgraduate exams (GMC, 2019), NHS staff from all faith groups face discrimination but this is worse Muslims (West, 2015), doctors with disability are more likely to report lack of reasonable readjustments at work and face huge barriers to return to work if they suddenly become disabled (BMA, 2020), the vast majority of LGBTQ doctors report being abused and harassed at work (BMA, 2021).

However, individuals do not possess just one protected characteristic. Kimberley Crenshaw first conceptualised intersectional theory to provide an analytic framework for understanding how individuals with multiplied marginalised identities experience compounded and amplified discrimination and oppression due to the multiplicative and, in some cases, exponential interacting effects of protected characteristics (Crenshaw, 1989).

#BAPIO25 | SILVER JUBILEE CONFERENCE

SUSHRUTA | Vol 14 | Issue 3

37

HINA SHAHID

EQUITY & FAIRNESS Embodiment of experiences: weathering and allostatic load These cumulative, traumatic intersectional experiences are embodied physically, mentally emotionally, socially and spiritually by doctors through pathways involving stress, weathering (Geronimus, 1992) and allostatic load (McEwen & Stellar, 1993). Doctors already have high stress and burnout rate (Patel et al, 2018), which may be higher for ethnic minority doctors, especially international medical gradates (Rich et a, 2016). A holistic approach which includes culturally and contextually sensitive psychospiritual counselling needs to be part of a tailored and personalised approach to support colleagues in addition to addressing discrimination, bullying and harassment faced by ethnic minority doctors.

Safe spaces and difficult conversations: focus on shared values Standalone EDI training on unconscious bias does not work and it is about time we moved away from this. What we need are safe spaces with flattened hierarchies centering lived experiences and marginalised voices, where people feel comfortable being authentic and vulnerable to have the difficult conversations necessary to bring about root and branch sustainable reform in organisational culture.

These spaces must enable deep listening and critical questioning and encourage continuous learning and reflection with a commitment to firmly embed shared values of respect, dignity, compassion, autonomy and flourishing; allowing everyone to feel they are celebrated and able to bring their whole selves to work without fear of judgement or exclusion.

Action, action and more actionmulti-level and multiprofessional The time now is for action not more reports demonstrating what we already know. We have decades of data and lives ruined by discrimination and oppression. Any further data collection must focus on monitoring and accountability and evaluating the impact of interventions and in analysing intersectional experiences where data gaps exist. These efforts must not stall action which is urgently needed; research and action must not be dichotomised but occur in tandem, and in the age of lean and agile development, inform each other in real time to bring about responsive changes.

#BAPIO25 | SILVER JUBILEE CONFERENCE

25

CHAIR, BMA UK COUNCIL

CHAAND NAGPAUL

BRITISH MEDICAL ASSOCIATION

Our voice has been much louder, stronger and more effective, together.

SUSHRUTA

SUSHRUTA | Vol 14 | Issue 3

39

WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE? BACCH & BAPIO DOUG SIMKISS BACCH

is

organisation

the

professional

for

doctors

membership and

other

professionals working in paediatrics & child

This is community child health as a philosophy of care and is the direction of travel for Integrated Care Systems. Some

health in the community.

Community Paediatricians should develop expertise in this

The British Association of Community Child Health's (BACCH)

arena.

purpose when it began in 1975, was ‘to contribute to the

As I write this piece, I have been Chair of BACCH for two

improvement in the care of all children, to promote scientific

working days and so my insights on how BAPIO and BACCH

study of clinical community paediatrics, to facilitate the

can work together will continue to mature. But I am confident

exchange of knowledge, information and ideas among its

there is much that we can do together. BACCH has a strong

members and to disseminate knowledge of clinical community

interest in workforce and Ian Male is our Workforce Officer;

paediatrics’ Today BACCH’s purpose is essentially unchanged -

Rebecca Gumm & Hannah Nicholson are his Deputies. I want

‘to promote and protect the good health of children and their

to understand what Equality Diversity and Inclusion issues we

families in their communities’. For me, this means community

have in Community Paediatrics. Related to EDI, historically

child health as both a clinical discipline and a philosophy of

many paediatricians of Indian origin took up posts as Staff,

care. The clinical discipline includes care of children with

Specialty and Associate Specialist doctors and I want to

disabilities, children with mental health issues and children

understand if there are issues on career progression for these

with safeguarding concerns. This discipline puts the emphasis

post holders. I am keen that BAPIO works with BACCH to

on ‘community’ meaning out of hospital care. Multidisciplinary

address any issues we find as you will have expertise in

and multiagency working (with social care and education in

resolving them in other medical disciplines.

particular) is at its core. But more broadly, ‘community’ speaks

Throughout my career I have been able to develop my cultural

to BACCH’s roots in child public health and we should continue

competence as colleagues have helped me to see health from

to work with other professional groups such as health visiting,

the perspective of their communities. I am sure there is a role

school nursing and primary care in localities, encouraging

for Community Paediatricians from BAPIO to work with

system thinking and population health management skills

BACCH to develop cultural competence for all our members

alongside our safeguarding, disability and other clinical skills.

caring for children of families from India.

#BAPIO25 | SILVER JUBILEE CONFERENCE

SUSHRUTA

COMPASSIONATE LEADERSHIP ANANTHAKRISHNAN RAGHURAMAN Compassionate leadership should be linked

A “command and control style” has the effect of silencing

with ‘psychological safety’ in health care

voices. We need to empower staff to make changes in their

teams.

The past few months have stretched the medical and nursing/ therapist workforce. Covid- 19 has exacerbated the underlying issues. Staff gaps are due to difficulties in recruitment is proving ever more difficult, absenteeism is high and staff are leaving or retiring early. Those that are left have performed well above the contracted hours which leads to high levels of staff stress and low morale.

The principles of compassionate leadership are; paying attention to the other and noticing their suffering – attending shared understanding what is causing the other’s distress, by making an appraisal of the cause – understanding having an empathic response, a felt relation with the other’s distress – empathising taking intelligent (thoughtful and appropriate) action to help relieve the other’s suffering – helping.

What it is not;A loss of commitment to purpose and high-quality performance Dilution of performance management processes Always seeking consensus rather than the “right approach” for patient and staff benefit We need to enable a culture where staff members are able to challenge the status quo and enable radical changes. We need to enable strong team work and system working without undue influence from a few with “power”.

workplace. The endless remote top-down plans often fail because they ignore the reality of day to day care.

This helps staff to; feel safe to talk about their errors and near misses to address concerns about work overload, to talk about worries over lack of competence, and to call out bullying, harassment and discrimination.

Transformational change can only come through releasing staff from the rigidities of bureaucracies, command and control hierarchies, and relentless top-down scrutiny and control. And the evidence from research is clear that compassionate leadership is the vital cultural element for innovation in organisations.

Compassionate leadership requires courage. The courage to listen to tough messages from those we lead. The courage to explore their understanding of the challenges they face and to have our own interpretations challenged and rejected.

Compassionate leadership requires huge courage, resilience and belief – it requires a commitment to be the best that you can be. It begins with self-compassion so that by attending to yourself, understanding the challenges you face in your own work (and life more generally), empathising or caring for yourself, and then taking wise action to help yourself, you are able to stay close to the core values that give our lives and work meaning – compassion, wisdom, courage, justice – we are able to have deeper, more authentic and more effective interactions with all those we work with and offer care for.

Putting such leadership into action demonstrates not the myths, but the magic of compassionate leadership.

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41

SARASWATI HOSDURGA Is it a necessity?

Health & Wellbeing Forum

Our vision 2. SUPPORT

PRESERVE

3. REFLECT and TRANSFORM

BAPIO Silver Jubilee 2021

SAPNA AGRAWAL

FOCUS ON WELLBEING IN GENERAL PRACTICE Generational Indentity To most Indians I am regarded as a first-generation British person but for my British peers I am a second-generation Indian, for Health Education England I am an international medical graduate who is regularly sent information to support IMGs and details of how to extend my visa.

I was born inear Sherwood Forrest known for the fable of Robin Hood and like him I have inherited my own moral code of justice. I credit my parents for giving me a truly global upbringing, having spent my childhood in England, I went on to experience Indian, Saudi Arabian and American schooling before returning to England for higher education.

Personally, I love both England and India and could not differentiate my love for either just as a child does not differentiate their love between their mother or father.

Heritage My heritage and upbringing have made me who I am today. As far as my career like a lot of doctors of Indian origin I have had an interesting path to my training, but this helter-skelter of a journey has resulted in an experienced doctor who is now very suitable to be an versatile general practitioner.

I love my profession and I am fortunately surrounded with people who I enjoy working with. I was introduced to BAPIO and quickly found some superb mentors, who have been pillars of support in my training. During COVID-19, I helped to produce an exercise dance video showcasing the various dance forms of the Indian subcontinent.

Focus on General Practice General practice has undergone many hardships over recent years but most clinical general practitioners have worked hard and rapidly adapted to new ways of working and have also been the bedrock of the vaccination delivery programme. In recent times, however, there has been an onslaught against GPs in sections of the media and by some MPs. This unjust, unfair criticism which has damaged the doctorpatient relationship for some but worse still has resulted in cases of actual physical attacks and abuse and is seriously threatening to breakdown of an already broken system with a record number of general practitioners leaving the profession prematurely.

The talks include; health for self, which will be focusing on the delivery of health and wellbeing for doctors, health for practice which will be looking into ways of making our practices greener which obviously will ultimately lead to cleaner air, improved patient health as well as tackling climate change; and finally we will be finishing with health for future, which will be focusing on how we can secure our future and finances as general practitioners.

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SUSHRUTA | Vol 14 | Issue 3

A BRAVE NEW WORLD -

43

Reflections of a Final Year Medical Student Triya A Chakravorty

I was not ready to be a doctor. That was how I felt six years ago, when I began my medical school journey. At times, it felt like an endless uphill battle. I have felt disheartened, unsupported and alone. Yet, thanks to my family, teachers and colleagues, I have also felt excited, nurtured and inspired. I have learnt an incredible amount: not just academic knowledge, but life lessons. In these few paragraphs, I would like to share the lessons I learnt from medical school. I hope that current and future medical students too, can learn from my experience.

Firstly, I have learnt how to adapt to face a challenge. The pandemic caused a seismic shift in medical education. In the World Health Organisation’s pandemic response plan, the final stage is to “innovate and learn”. As a medical student during the pandemic, this is something I had to do a lot. From taking swabs, performing blood tests and vaccinating individuals, to learning how to examine patients via Microsoft Teams, I have had to innovate in every part of my learning. I have seen people band together with great strength to solve new challenges. However, learning in isolation without my classmates was also desperately bleak.

That’s why medical school has also taught me the importance of looking after your own mental health and wellbeing. In a profession with burnout levels at an all-time high, developing good habits is vital. Constant examinations and challenges have grown my resilience, but there were still times when I have felt my mental wellbeing was not an important factor for my medical school. So, my advice to future medical students is to make this your top priority. Take time to develop self-care rituals, and never be afraid to speak to others and seek help.

That brings me to the last lesson I learnt from medical school: how to fail.

Failure is an essential part of medicine, academia, and life. Whether it’s failing exams, missing diagnoses or getting papers rejected from journals, there is no escaping it. Instead, we should see it as an opportunity to learn and grow.

Accepting failure and letting go of perfection are some of the hardest lessons to learn in medicine - but also the most important. In the words of Samuel Beckett: “I can’t go on. I’ll go on.” When I started medical school, I did not feel

Mental health is especially fragile when things go wrong.

ready to be a doctor. I do now. This is not because I know everything (it often feels like I know nothing), but because I feel emotionally, mentally and physically prepared for the realities of being a doctor. This brave new world fills me with nervous anticipation, but also with hope that I can learn even more.

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GO WEST YOUNG ONE M. Aamer Sarfraz

We, as a cohort, are products of sovereign states.

ON BELONGING SUSHRUTA | Vol 14 | Issue 3

45

Indranil CHAKRAVORTY

@indranilc

To be human is to belong. Humans are social animals and have a need to belong. This need to belong involves frequent or regular interactions and the safety, sustenance and comfort that come from belonging. According to Baumeister & Leary fulfilling the need to belong involves satisfying two criteria. First, individuals must have relatively frequent, positively valenced (or at least non-aversive) interactions with at least a few other people. Second, these interactions must take place within a framework of longlasting affective concern for each other's welfare. Satisfying either of these criteria alone is not sufficient to fulfil the need: positive interactions outside of long-lasting relationships will not be completely satisfying and nor will long-term relationships that lack regular contact. It is wellknown that a failure to satisfy this need to belong, ought to be marked by serious distress and long-term negative consequences.

In the process of growing up and assuming the challenges of adolescent or adult life, the need to belong remains a paramount influence in shaping our present and futures. As we go from the shelter of family units to schools, colleges and Universities- there remains the need to belong to different groups based on social, demographic or intellectual pursuits. The bonds formed deliberately or as a result of shared experiences - in early adulthood often are the most robust and last for several decades thereafter. An example are the alumni societies which tend to keep in touch even when the members are dispersed across the globe.

Author's personal reflections on the role of organisations such as BAPIO in one's professional life.

The ease of communication certainly has a role to play in bringing the world and its people closer. Some psychologists and philosophers often despair of the artificial distance that our dependence on digital communication may create within families or groups living in physical or geographical proximity. Yet, across continents and several thousands of miles it is the ease of digital social networking and the advent of smartphones that has transformed the world. The way that the global collaboration occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic induced moratorium on all types of travel is a testament to the advantages of being socially connected. When facebook, Whatsapp and Instagram servers were down in October, there was a huge outcry from people and this made it to the second most important news item after the Tory conference in the UK.

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L ON BELONGING The phenomenon of immigraton poses a different challenge to the immigrant who is often rapidly detached from their friends and family, the comfortable familiarity of their physical surroundings, the environment, the predictability (or otherwise) of their climate, the seasons, the flora and fauna and the sustenance drawn from their sociocultural milieu. Any form of migration is definitely a stress inducing exercise, way beyond the physical.

Often the socio-cultural-economic conditions of the adopted country, even if the migration is temporary, can play a vital part in the wellbeing of the individual. For those whose decision to migrate was not voluntary (slavery or indentured workforce) or driven by extremes of conflict or persecution, the challenges are multiplied several fold.

Deprived of all that was known and familiar, the immigrant is left unbalanced, stressed and alone, even if they are in small micro-family units. There is a need to connect with the familiar or recreate an environment that brings peace and comforts of ‘home’. This is where in any nation in the world, there is a profusion of food, music, literature, the arts, festivals (religious or cultural), apparel and artefacts that mirrors the ‘home-land’. Many who embrace the language, socio-cultural practices of the adopted land, a process often described as ‘acculturation’ still find comfort, peace and sustenance from the recreation of the distant home.

There are a plethora of organisations which have been created by people needing to belong, to interact, to find safety in familiar settings and with people who share either a physical identity or sociocultural norms. Some such as alumni organisations (a shared legacy), others such as ‘Medical Women’s Foundation’ offer the safety of facing gender-based challenges; some are based on issues, some offer shared values of faith (British Indian Muslim Association, British Sikh Association), some the familiarity of home culture and traditions. Then there are those that bring people with a shared purpose.

In the case of BAPIO, it may have started with a view to support doctors from the Indian subcontinent all those 25 years ago, but it certainly comes of age as a different type of organisation. One that has moved from the fringes to the centre-stage.

As a bright eyed-bushy tailed young medical student in Kolkata, all those years ago, training in the UK was a dream.

Before the advent of the internet and personal computers, the printed word, descriptions of life and work in the UK and rare depiction of doctors on film was all one could go by. I had a personal connection.

One of my Uncles was an Ophthalmic surgeon in NE Lincolnshire and every year, when he came over to visit in the warm Kolkata winter, I would wait on every word and create this technicolour dream of a job working in the UK healthcare system. As a son of Bengal, intellectual pursuit, to be able to work in an academic setting, to practice medicine as was depicted in the textbooks was all that I care about.

Money was never a consideration.

The first five years were spent working hard, examinations and moving house and hospital every 6-12 months. In 1995, I remember applying for every Senior House Officer job advertised in London and not getting a single shortlisting. I put this down to my not having an additional intercalated degree, not having passed my MRCP like some of my peers.

Aneez and Sam had already published their seminal work on how the name was a determinant for shortlisting between a European and a nonEuropean one. Racial or ethnic bias did not cross my mind. Tucked away in Grimsby and having ice-cream on the beach in Cleethorpes, my friends and I were on top of the world. We were treated as equals, except on a rare Friday night when some inebriated, local hooligans refused to see a Black doctor in the emergency. Our colleagues and healthcare staff were quick to stand by us and not encourage such behaviour.

Like many of us, I was lucky to find some fantastic mentors while in Birmingham, Jon Ayres and Ruth Cayton gave me hope and encouragement. I had worked out that to get a job in London, I would have to offer more than my peers and competitors. I think the realisation, that in order to get a fair chance in life as an immigrant, one has to be better than the best- comes to all of us at some stage. When I managed to secure my first interview in London, I did not believe that I had even a 1 in a million chance to get in. I met Margaret Hodson. It was the only interview, where I went in my shirt sleeves (did not have time to get a suit), poured out my heart and spilled out all my dreams and aspirations. Margaret listened and offered me a job. I managed to get into a specialist registrar training rotation in London. This was at the time of Calmanisation and spelt misery for thousands of doctors from abroad. The hostile immigration policy was introduced, the permit free training was abolished.

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SUSHRUTA | Vol 14 | Issue 3

47

ON BELONGING Home Office restrictions meant that thousands of doctors from abroad had to leave their jobs and return to their home countries. A few years later BAPIO mounted a legal challenge to the Home Office rules in 2006, which went to judicial review. I was not aware of this. Reporting in the press was scant. We were not aware of the existence of such an organisation that was there to support doctors like me.

I know that many of my peers from the Indian subcontinent or those with a non-UK primary medical qualification were not so lucky. Many had to change their career aspirations, emigrate to Australia or I know that my mentor Ruth had hopes for me to follow in her footsteps and work in the Sleep Laboratory in Birmingham. But I was sad to disappoint her, when it came to accepting my first consultant job. My heart was set on London.

The glass ceilings were now clearly visible. Like any person of oriental or Asian philosophical roots, I followed my father’s mantra, ‘do your best but expect anything in return’, one will be appreciated someday for one’s contribution. Demanding what is due and fair was not in the DNA. It took me years to realise that in spite of one’s best efforts and having all the necessary talent or qualifications, the glass ceiling was not going to be shattered easily. Perhaps never. For many a choice of not reaching one’s potential was inevitable. I had to discover the final step of making a mistake in one’s professional life, and facing the NHS machinery of an MHPS investigation. I learnt how the ‘fair to refer’ process put me at risk of being formally investigated and censured while many of my White peers were dealt with a light touch approach.

It is only when as a Consultant I was supervising and guiding immigrant doctors like me, as the college tutor giving career advice, did I start to realise that life was not fair, even in the UK medical system. I could see the skewed distribution of the faces in remote district hospitals compared to the tertiary ones. I noticed how at interviews, career progression assessments there appeared to be subtle but clearly demonstrable differences in how doctors were dealt with based on their ethnicity, race or primary medical qualifications.

I realised that it was time to have one’s voice heard.

It was time to stand up and ask for fairness and tackle bias. It was important that those of us who are in positions of some power or influence and able to stand up should do for all who can’t or are not differently abled. We need to level the playing field for generations to come. Rome was not built in a day and neither will the world become a fair place for all for several thousand years. However, every step, every deed, every action one takes for fairness and equality is a step towards the goal of justice for all. Health for all is never going to be realised if we do not strive for justice for all.

I still believed that such bias was unconscious and continued to advise junior doctors and students to work harder, to choose less competitive specialties and be satisfied with less popular district hospital posts. Being a pacifist I chose the path of least resistance. Anger did not come naturally.

I realised that one is more powerful if one has a shared destiny, a shared mission and this where belonging to a group of like-minded professionals is so critical.

I knew I had to do more. Like many of my peers I offered to take on regional and national roles within the medical education and training system. I approached the college, discovering that there were rarely anyone with my colour, face or difficult to pronounce name that had made it to the top tier.

Meeting Jane Dacre, I realised that she was only the 3rd woman to make it to the top, in 500 years of the Royal College of Physicians.

Indranil Chakravorty qualified from Medical College Kolkata and moved to the UK in 1994

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MY CSA JOURNEY

THERE WAS A STRONG FEELING THAT AN UNCONSCIOUS BIAS WITH THE CSA WAS PUTTING THEM AT A DISADVANTAGE.

49

I M M I G R A T I ON CH ANG E D

R UL ES

AL M OS T

D A I L Y

STRANDED DOCTORS

pro bono

SUSHRUTA | Vol 14 | Issue 3

51

ADR VISA POLICY SPELLS WOES FOR THE NHS Abhinav RAJ

Over the past four years, the Home Office has approved just 218 Adult Dependent Relative (ADR) visas for the elderly relatives of the NHS workers. This 'hostile' immigration policy has compelled many NHS staff to resign from their positions and return to their home countries to care for the elderly dependent. The

'The emotional dilemma that migrant doctors and nurses face from being unable to support elderly parents in their home countries, while serving the NHS is not to be underestimated. The Government needs to see this suffering, show humanity and compassion and change the ADR rules' JS Bamrah, Chairman, BAPIO

NHS staff comprise 170,000 non-UK citizens (64,000 are of Asian origin) many have elderly relatives that require medical care. According to the ADR visa policy, medical practitioners, nursing staff among others in the UK must satisfy stringent criteria before their parents from their home countries are allowed entry into the UK—a legal system that’s driving many immigrant NHS workers out of the UK. Until July 2012, an elderly dependent of an NHS medic in the UK was only required to prove that they were subject

to

“the

most

exceptional

compassionate

circumstances”—however, the visa policy has since undergone changes such that medical practitioners who joined the NHS workforce several years ago now find it arduous, if not impossible, to bring their elderly parents to the UK. The elderly dependent of foreignborn nationals seeking an ADR visa are now required to provide evidence sourced from a local doctor or healthcare provider that they are unable to receive suitable care in their home countries.

The visa policy has led to outcries for reform by the healthcare community. In March, hundreds of doctors including former presidents of the Royal College signed an open letter to the government calling for a review of the “inhumane” amendments to the visa policy ratified by the Home Office in 2012.

Currently, the British Medical Association, British Indian Nurses Association, British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (BAPIO), Association of Pakistani Physicians of Northern Europe (APPNE) and the Royal College of GPs are spearheading a joint effort to call for a review and overhaul of the ADR visa rules. The bodies warn of an exodus of skilled medical professionals at a time of need if necessary changes to the policy are not introduced.

The House of Lords in May this year witnessed a debate on the existing ADR visa policy. Labour Party representative Lord Parekh called for the government to ‘take a second

Out of the thousand ADR visa applications made

look’ at the modifications to the ADR policy proposed by

between 2017 and 2021, only 35 were granted in the

BAPIO. “The rules must strike the right balance between

first attempt. This occurrence has driven many foreign

ensuring those who need support can come here, without

healthcare workers to resign from their positions and

placing additional pressure on the health and welfare

return to their home countries to care for their elderly

services which would need to be funded by taxpayers

parents, and left many others in a limbo. The British

more widely.”

health service—since its genesis—is no stranger to

The NHS staff are the backbone of the healthcare industry

migrant workers. With many doctors torn between

in the UK. In their altruistic pursuit to provide the country

caring for their elderly relatives back in their home

with their service, it's only reasonable to assume that the

countries and furthering their career in the NHS, the

country must do its bit to help them look after their loved

current ADR visa policy has introduced a sentimental

ones.

dilemma in a major section of the workforce.

Abhinav Raj is a political correspondent for the Immigration Advice Service, a UK-based organization of immigration solicitors that provides Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) services, Visa assistance for prospective migrants and pro-bono legal counsel.

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SUSHRUTA | Vol 14 | Issue 3

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Reducing Violence towards Health Professionals The Role of Voluntary Sector Organisations Indranil Chakravorty ABSTRACT There is a rising trend of violence against healthcare professionals across the world, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. Many countries report between 43-75% of professionals experiencing at least one incident in any annual survey. The most recent incident of doctors and healthcare staff in a Manchester City General Practice raised alarms. As the healthcare infrastructure and services are severely stretched following the disruption of 2020, there are more reasons for disquiet and frustration from the public. The media and political portrayal of primary care physicians as not caring enough to provide face-to-face appointments in the UK is believed to increase the public angst. There are protests from professional organisations but this is not heard by the public.

In any violence prevention strategy, a multi-system approach is critical. While tackling misinformation is essential, so is the tackling the root causes, the waiting lists and a balanced information to the public. Political and organisational leaders need to be visible and vocal in explaining why the healthcare infrastructure is beyond breaking point. This will justify the additional resources needed and reduce the frustrations of the public, in need of care.

There is also a vital need to help new doctors and nurses as well as all frontline staff in violence dissipation techniques, selfpreservation. The Voluntary community organisations including those that support professional groups have a vital role to play.

The NHS People Plan has recommended that VSCEs should join robust and reliable partnerships with Integrated Care Organisations in developing strategies and interventions. There is more work to be done. This article is a call for action and invites all VSCEs interested in the reduction of violence against staff to join with employing organisations to set up collaborative working groups with specific actions to implement. This is essential to reduce harm and reduce the demoralisation of an already burnt-out healthcare workforce.

There is more work to be done and VSCEs can help

Key words Violence against healthcare professionals, NHS Employers, Burnout

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Experience of minority professionals

Reducing Violence towards Health Professionals contd..

The Role of Voluntary Sector Organisations The unfortunate incident of a General Practice in Manchester being attacked by an irate member of the public in Manchester this week, resulting in serious bodily harm to a doctor and healthcare staff has alarmed many within the profession and the public. Dr Manisha Kumar, a medical director at Manchester Health and Care Commissioning remarked, ‘We are sadly used to aggression but this was life threatening. This is not okay.’ [1] This simple observation does underline that aggression and violence towards healthcare staff is an uncanny reality of life.

When every country in the world recognises the rising incidence of physical violence and verbal aggression against healthcare workers (HCW), from patients or their relatives- it is certainly an issue that should concern the healthcare system leaders. A survey conducted by the Indian Medical Association in 2018, reported that 75% of doctors had experienced at least one instance of violence in the line of duty. [2] The United States, China [3] and the UK are no different in their experience. A survey in the UK in January 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic found that 43% of 644 doctors saw physical violence or verbal abuse towards colleagues. [4] Although 32% of violent deaths of healthcare workers investigated in the USA from 2003-2016 (n=62) were due to homicide and perpetrated by a patient, relative or someone close to the patient - there was a larger proportion of deaths due to self-harm.[5] Emergency department staff, first responders, nursing or care home workers and psychiatric unit staff [6,7] are more at risk of physical violence.

Covid-19 pandemic

The risk of violence and reported incidents rose sharply after the pandemic, when health services were stretched to and often beyond breaking points in large swathes of countries across the world. [8] Most frequent reasons included mistrust in HCWs, belief in conspiracy theories, hospitals' refusal to admit COVID-19 patients due to limited space, COVID-19 hospital policies, and the death of the COVID-19 patients. Protests by doctors and other HCWs for provision of adequate PPE, better quarantine conditions for doctors with suspected COVID-19, and better compensation for doctors on COVID-19 patient duty resulted in police violence towards HCWs. [9] However, misinformation in respect of COVID-19 and adverse care outcomes led to an increase in violence against medical practitioners in low or middle income countries such as Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Syria and Sudan [8]. In UK primary care settings, a perception of reduced face-to-face consultation availability has been cited as a reason for frustration and abusive behaviour.[10]

There is another angle to the violence experienced by healthcare professionals. This is the influence of gender, colour, religion and ethnicity.[11] The physical violence reported by minority ethnic and psychological abuse reported by female healthcare professionals is significantly worse than their peers. [12,13] A study of over 12,000 workers over the 6-year study period demonstrated the higher risk of violence towards professionals who were female (82%) and inpatient nurses. [14,15] Determinants of Violence towards healthcare professionals

The likely drivers of violence are thought to be discontent with the service provided, health related or personal problems, and alcohol or substance abuse amongst the perpetrators. [16,17], poor administration, miscommunication, infrastructural issues especially differences in services between hospitals, and negative media portrayal of doctors.[18] Misinformation leading to a gap between expectation and reality (in relation to healthcare) is one of the key factors. Healthcare professionals in mental health services or emergency medicine departments received more violent threats and sexual harassment than physicians in other departments. [19] Midwives tend to suffer the highest risk of experiencing aggression. [20] The treatment room is the most common place where the violence is known to occur.

Under-reporting is common and reported figures are likely to be gross underestimates. Only a minority of the professionals who experienced violence actually reported it. Being accustomed to workplace violence is the most stated reason for not reporting violence to the hospital administration or the authorities.[21] Among the HCW professions, nursing was the profession, in which HCWs were more prone to experience a violent episode, while male medical doctors were more prone to report violent episodes than female medical doctors. Moreover, female HCWs experienced more verbal violence (insults) than male HCWs did, while male HCWs experienced more physical violence (bodily contact) than female HCWs did. [22] Consequences of Workplace violence

The studies identified seven categories of consequences of workplace violence: (1) physical, (2) psychological, (3) emotional, (4) work functioning, ( 5) relationship with patients/quality of care, (6) social/general, and (7) financial. Psychological (e.g Post traumatic stress, depression) and emotional (e.g., anger, fear) consequences and impact on work functioning (e.g., sick leave, job satisfaction) were the most frequent and important effects of workplace violence. [23]

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SUSHRUTA | Vol 14 | Issue 3

Solutions

WPV for healthcare professionals is a preventable public health problem that needs urgent and comprehensive attention. Those in healthcare leadership can: 1) obtain hospital commitment to reduce WPV; 2) obtain a work-site-specific analysis; 3) employ site-specific violence prevention interventions at the individual and institutional level; and 4) advocate for policies and programs that reduce risk for WPV. [24] In general, primary prevention is best conceptualized using systemic- and individual-specific approaches.

On a systemic level, the display of zero-tolerance policies such as the NHS zero-tolerance posters might have a deterrent effect, although the efficacy of this has not been established. As the health service outcomes depend on excellent communication and trusting relationships between the care-giver and patients, the use of segregation, restrictive spaces, and visible security presence usually undermines this relationship and in some circumstances is known to aggravate the risk of violence.

Majority of healthcare settings, however, do not have these facilities which make primary prevention more challenging.

Healthcare professionals also live in public spaces, therefore personal risk does extend beyond the workspace. Additionally, predicting violence is difficult, and formal violence risk assessment instruments have relatively poor positive predictive value in populations. Violence prevention in respect of the pandemic is more complex. Some countries such as India, have passed stringent laws against health care violence during the pandemic [8] and others such as Sudan, are developing a specific police response system.

Secondary prevention aims at escaping or de-escalating an evolving violent situation. In an acute situation where violence is imminent, it might be necessary for the professional to exit the consultation to seek help [25] or be within visibility of other staff members. In many secure psychiatric units dealing with patients with a history of violence, there are systems and protocols for such eventualities. In the consultation, a range of techniques such as allowing the patient space to vent, preventing an increase in arousal by using empathy, and maintaining a calm tone of voice are effective.[25] This requires specific training and role-playing to master. Healthcare workers, students and trainees would benefit from formal de-escalation and personal safety training as part of workplace inductions.

55

One of the first lessons I remember learning during my first oncall ever as a junior doctor in Kolkata Medical College Hospital, was the art of self-defence. While assisting my senior house officer in resuscitating a patient who (even to my inexperienced eye) was clearly dead, I noticed the strict adherence to the principles of an elaborate cardio-pulmonary resuscitation process being enacted. My quizzical look was answered by a slight nod of the head pointing me towards the 3 large, burly men who were crowding round the bed and pointing menacingly at the hapless trio of doctors and nurses undertaking the resuscitation. Although by that time, the patient was beyond our help, the enthusiasm with which we ‘tried our very best’ was rewarded with gratitude. The slippery slope from gratitude for trying your best to being blamed for the inevitable demise and then having to pay for it with physical harm- is all too familiar to many. That early lesson has helped me several times in my career to date.

A qualitative study from London reported that receptionists in GP practices were found to be most at risk, due to exclusion from team meetings and lack of peer support and advice. [26] The authors found that ‘negative management tactics, such as patient appeasement or exclusion, were the norm’. A real commitment from leaders is needed and be understood by frontline staff in order to encourage reporting and implementation of the ‘zero tolerance’ policies which exist on paper.

Tertiary prevention (after the incident) includes accurate recording of the incident in the patient’s clinical notes and clinical alerts. Having an incident debrief with practice staff, including, sometimes an independent experienced colleague, can help establish learning points in respect of how an incident was managed. Decisions about the ongoing care of the patient by a different practitioner within the same clinic or at a different clinic might need to be taken based on the seriousness of the violent episode.

In the UK, there have also been calls for a systematic response from Clinical Commissioning Groups to respond to the increased reports of pandemic-related violence with a consistent approach and for increasing the availability of occupational health measures for the doctors involved.[10] Therefore most recommendations on the management of workplace violence include the development of participative, gender-based, culturebased, non-discriminatory, and systematic strategies to deal with issues related to violence.

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Trade Unions & Voluntary sector partnerships Partnership working between the voluntary sector, local government and the NHS is crucial to improving care for people and communities. The British Medical Association and Royal College of Nursing as the largest trade union organisations in the UK, play an important role in supporting their members, encouraging specific policies and protocols to be developed and monitoring when such incidents of violence against professionals is on the rise. [4] There is more to be done and we see a need for collaborative working with the voluntary sector.

The NHS People’s Plan [27] highlights the need for closer working across public and voluntary sectors to address the wider determinants of health, which in turn could impact on the demand on primary and acute services. Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) involvement and leadership has been key to developing rich partnerships within local health and care systems. We know that it is through the support of the VCSE sector that Integrated Care Systems (ICS) have been able to make progress towards addressing health inequalities and improving public health.

COVID-19 has acted as a catalyst for even greater integration of VCSE services and time and resources are progressively being directed towards facilitating access to educational resources, reducing social isolation and delivering preventative interventions for crime reduction. One such example of a community voluntary organisation supporting Filipino nurses in the UK was expanded during the pandemic to help families too.

[28] VCSE organisations are often embedded in neighbourhoods and have a unique advantage when it comes to engaging the most at-risk and rarely heard communities. They play a key role in facilitating dialogue between the system and its residents, making sure that services are co-produced with purpose, with residents at the heart of service provision. The voluntary sector works in three main ways. The first, and by far the largest area of work, is service delivery to support individuals in the criminal justice system and their

families. The second – often in combination with the first - is campaigning and advocating in order to reform the criminal justice system. Finally, there are self help organisations, set up to share experiences and support amongst peers, which are usually local and volunteer run.[29] This type of resource is largely missing for women and minority ethnic professionals in the UK NHS. For the VCSE to achieve its full potential in the delivery of integrated care, it needs to be recognised fully as a part of the system.[30] In April 2018 the UK Government published its Serious Violence Strategy which represents a step change in how to think and respond to serious violence, establishing a new balance between prevention and law enforcement. It declared a call to action to partners from across different sectors to come together and adopt a whole-system multi-agency approach to tackling and preventing serious violence at a local level, often referred to as a ‘public health approach’. The Government introduced a range of initiatives including: a new statutory duty on public sector agencies and bodies to prevent and tackle serious violence, which will help create the conditions for collaboration and regular communication to share data and intelligence to understand and tackle the root causes of serious violence. [31] This strategy and the public duty applies equally to instances of violence against healthcare professionals and rests with NHS Employers.

We are aware of the initiatives that the women’s forum of the British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin are initiating to reduce personal violence towards women specially around commuting to and from work, which is also on the rise. Although the intention remains from policy makers to engage ‘a whole system approach’ to tackling violence, there needs to be more engagement from both sectors. We propose setting up a reducing violence working group and a roundtable for developing consensus between NHS Employers, Clinical Commissioning Groups and Social care providers including local authorities. This is a call for action before more lives are lost and a weather-beaten workforce is further demoralised.

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References 1 ‘Appalling’ attack on GP surgery staff condemned after four injured in ‘life-threatening’ disturbance Manchester Evening News. https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchesternews/appalling-attack-gp-surgery-staff-21607333 (accessed 19 Sep 2021).

2 Over 75% of doctors have faced violence at work, study finds | India News Times of India.

The Times of India. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/over-75-of-doctors-have-facedviolence-at-work-study-finds/articleshow/47143806.cms (accessed 19 Sep 2021).

3 Hesketh T, Wu D, Mao L, et al. Violence against doctors in China. BMJ 2012;345:e5730. doi:10.1136/bmj.e5730 4 Mehlmann-Wicks J. Preventing and reducing violence towards staff.

The British Medical Association is the trade union and professional body for doctors in the UK. https://www.bma.org.uk/advice-and-support/nhsdelivery-and-workforce/creating-a-healthy-workplace/preventing-andreducing-violence-towards-staff (accessed 19 Sep 2021).

5 Braun BI, Hafiz H, Singh S, et al. Health Care Worker Violent Deaths in the Workplace: A Summary of Cases From the National Violent Death Reporting System.

Workplace Health Saf 2021;69:435–41. doi:10.1177/21650799211003824 6 Franz S, Zeh A, Schablon A, et al. Aggression and violence against health care workers in Germany - a cross sectional retrospective survey.

BMC Health Services Research 2010;10:51. doi:10.1186/1472-6963-10-51 7 Aljohani B, Burkholder J, Tran QK, et al. Workplace violence in the emergency department: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Public Health 2021;196:186–97. doi:10.1016/j.puhe.2021.02.009 8 Devi S. COVID-19 exacerbates violence against health workers. The Lancet 2020;396:658. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(20)31858-4 9 Bhatti OA, Rauf H, Aziz N, et al. Violence against Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Review of Incidents from a LowerMiddle-Income Country.

Ann Glob Health 2021;87:41. doi:10.5334/aogh.3203 10 Oxtoby K. Another epidemic: abuse and violence towards doctors from patients and the public. BMJ 2021;372:n739. doi:10.1136/bmj.n739 11 Keshet Y, Popper-Giveon A. Race-based experiences of ethnic minority health professionals: Arab physicians and nurses in Israeli public healthcare organizations. Ethnicity & Health 2018;23:442–59. doi:10.1080/13557858.2017.1280131 12 Jia H, Fang H, Chen R, et al. Workplace violence against healthcare professionals in a multiethnic area: a cross-sectional study in southwest China. BMJ Open 2020;10:e037464. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2020-037464 13 Chen X, Lv M, Wang M, et al. Incidence and risk factors of workplace violence against nurses in a Chinese top-level teaching hospital: A crosssectional study.

Applied Nursing Research 2018;40:122–8. doi:10.1016/j.apnr.2018.01.003 14 Pompeii L, Dement J, Schoenfisch A, et al. Perpetrator, worker and workplace characteristics associated with patient and visitor perpetrated violence (Type II) on hospital workers: A review of the literature and existing occupational injury data. Journal of Safety Research 2013;44:57– 64. doi:10.1016/j.jsr.2012.09.004 15 Snavely C, Romeo M, Ciardiello A, et al. The pandemic of workplace violence: the gendered experience of emergency medicine trainees. AEM Educ Train 2021;5:e10630. doi:10.1002/aet2.10630 16 Taylor L. Covid-19 misinformation sparks threats and violence against doctors in Latin America. BMJ 2020;370:m3088. doi:10.1136/bmj.m3088

17 Kleissl-Muir S, Raymond A, Rahman MA. Incidence and factors associated with substance abuse and patient-related violence in the emergency department: A literature review. Australas Emerg Care 2018;21:159–70. doi:10.1016/j.auec.2018.10.004 18 Kumari A, Kaur T, Ranjan P, et al. Workplace violence against doctors: Characteristics, risk factors, and mitigation strategies. J Postgrad Med 2020;66:149–54. doi:10.4103/jpgm.JPGM_96_20 19 Wu J-C, Tung T-H, Chen PY, et al. Determinants of workplace violence against clinical physicians in hospitals. J Occup Health 2015;57:540–7. doi:10.1539/joh.15-0111-OA 20 Viottini E, Politano G, Fornero G, et al. Determinants of aggression against all health care workers in a large-sized university hospital. BMC Health Serv Res 2020;20:215. doi:10.1186/s12913-020-05084-x 21 ALBashtawy M, Aljezawi M. Emergency nurses’ perspective of workplace violence in Jordanian hospitals: A national survey. International Emergency Nursing 2016;24:61–5. doi:10.1016/j.ienj.2015.06.005 22 Acquadro Maran D, Cortese CG, Pavanelli P, et al. Gender differences in reporting workplace violence: a qualitative analysis of administrative records of violent episodes experienced by healthcare workers in a large public Italian hospital. BMJ Open 2019;9:e031546. doi:10.1136/bmjopen2019-031546 23 Lanctôt N, Guay S. The aftermath of workplace violence among healthcare workers: A systematic literature review of the consequences.

Aggression and Violent Behavior 2014;19:492–501. doi:10.1016/j.avb.2014.07.010 24 Kowalenko T, Cunningham R, Sachs CJ, et al. Workplace violence in emergency medicine: current knowledge and future directions. J Emerg Med 2012;43:523–31. doi:10.1016/j.jemermed.2012.02.056 25 Moloney N. Psychiatry Algorithms for Primary Care, 1st edn. Gautam Gulati, Walter Cullen, Brendan Kelly (160 pp.; ISBN 10:1119653568). Wiley Blackwell © John Wiley & Sons Ltd: Oxford, UK, 2021. Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine undefined/ed;:1–2. doi:10.1017/ipm.2021.3 26 [ARCHIVED CONTENT] HSC 2000/001: Tackling violence towards GPs and their staff: the NHS (Choice of Medical Practitioner) Amendment Regulations 1999 : Department of Health Publications. https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/+/http://www.dh.gov.u k/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Lettersandcirculars/Healthservicecirculars/ DH_4003798 (accessed 20 Sep 2021).

27 Plan NLT. NHS Long Term Plan. NHS Long Term Plan. https://www.longtermplan.nhs.uk (accessed 3 Feb 2021).

28 Impact of Community Collaboration in the COVID-19 Pandemic | Sushruta Journal of Health Policy & Opinion. https://sushrutajnl.net/index.php/sushruta/article/view/104 (accessed 20 Sep 2021).

29 The voluntary sector working in the criminal justice system. Clinks. https://www.clinks.org/about/sector (accessed 20 Sep 2021).

30 NHS England » Voluntary sector partnerships. https://www.england.nhs.uk/integratedcare/what-is-integratedcare/voluntary-sector-partnerships/ (accessed 19 Sep 2021).

31 A whole-system multi-agency approach to serious violence prevention. ;:86.

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Impact of COVID-19 on Mental Health of Adults with Autism in India- A case series

"Increasing performance while decreasing value" Ritwika Roy & Amaan Javed DOI https://doi.org/10.38192/14.3.4

Background: This study focuses on the direct and indirect implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on adults with Autism in India. This study took into account the social isolation during the global pandemic in 2020 and its effect on the emotional well-being of the community.

Methods: We designed a survey involving Indian residents. Part I involved questionnaires for different cohorts: 1) educated, 2) employed and 3) unemployed. The questions were based on proposed life models to maintain the heterogeneity according to the preferences of the target group. Part II of involved online interviews conducted in English. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were performed.

Findings: The analyses of participants’ responses (N=10) stipulated that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on autistic people's mental health has been variable. Participants encountered both positive and negative emotions. Factors such as disrupted schedules, fear of job loss, poor domestic support system and inconsistency in transition were important. These were associated with development of new or worsening of pre-existing psychological as well as behavioural conditions including depression, anxiety, panic attacks and high-stress levels. At the same time, reduced interactions with decreased social insistence led to an improvement for some participants.

Interpretation: Our results illustrate the deterioration of mental health and well-being for Autistic adults due to the impact of the COVID19 pandemic. These findings emphasise the need for the development of innovative approaches and investment in the creation of support systems to address mental distress in this population.

Keywords: Coronavirus, COVID-19, Autism spectrum disorder, Neuropsychiatric presentations, Mental Health

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Autism in India - Introduction In the last two decades, several viral epidemics such as the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-1) from 2002 to 2003, and H1N1 influenza in 2009, have been recorded (1). Since December 2019 the entire world has been affected by the SARS-CoV-2 infection that emerged in Wuhan, China, leading to huge afflictions on health and lives. To date (May 22nd, 2021), the total number of confirmed cases is more than 166 million, and the number of deaths ascribed to the disease is more than 3 million (2).

Various studies have reported an increase in psychological distress and most relevant psychological presentations as uncertainties and fears (3), pervasive anxiety (4), and disabling loneliness (5). Long-term isolation/quarantine, with mass lockdowns and economic recession, is predicted to lead to increases in suicide as well as mental health conditions (6).

Studies have also correlated the positive rate of incidence of restrictions on movement, inconvenient routine screening, and medical treatments with high rates of depression and anxiety (7).

Not just the general population but also healthcare professionals and front-line workers have been displaying a higher risk of mental health problems due to work under extreme pressure to diagnose, treat, and care for COVID-19 patients (8).

While this pandemic has affected all groups of people in society, little has been done to highlight the disproportionate vulnerabilities of certain groups especially people with neurodevelopmental conditions like autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (9). The term includes Autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), and Asperger’s syndrome which have been characterised as displaying social and communication awkwardness with barriers and/or repetitive sensory-motor behaviours (10).

For individuals with Autism, the published data suggests amplification of mental health changes like depression, personality change (11), abnormal behaviour (12), symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (13), post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) (14). These changes are attributed to the classic characteristics of the syndrome i.e., inflexibility, insistence on sameness, and loathe change (15). Despite a large Indian population being affected by Autism, little data is available on mental health exacerbations due to COVID-19 in the population having autism.

Additionally, India is one of the largest exceptions to the list of countries that lacks an estimate of autism prevalence and there exists a massive underreporting of this disorder among both adults and children (16). Only small‐scale studies involving local hospital settings have been reported which estimate the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders, varying widely from 2.9% to 62.5% (17).

This study aims to analyse the correlation between the development and exacerbation of mental health disorders and COVID-19 in individuals with Autism. These correlations are speculated and associated with COVID-19 due to multifarious factors like limitations in understanding, personal relationships involving resilience and social support, employment/education status, long term isolation/quarantine.

We hypothesize that COVID-19 exacerbated the pre-existing mental health conditions or resulted in the development of other neuropsychiatric presentations in individuals with Autism. We hope to create awareness amongst the healthcare professionals and policymakers to manage and encompass the needs of individuals with Autism to prevent misdiagnosis, adopt behavioural strategies to reduce the burden, and limit long-term sequelae.

2. Methodology 2.1. Sample We designed a pan India survey involving only Indian residents.

An invitation describing expression of interest with a description of the study was shared on various platforms including universities, organizations, and NGOs requesting to share the description with their contacts. This study was directed towards adults (18+) with ASD living in India during the COVID-19 pandemic. The respondents were from the cities of Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Delhi, Amritsar, and Ooty. In accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki, consent was included in the survey and was accompanied by a description of the study describing the aims, methods and other relevant aspects of this study.

2.3. Data collection The consent for participation in questionnaires, interviews, and recordings was obtained along with assuring them confidentiality. To ensure anonymity the participants were coded as P1-P10. The data collection for the study consisted of two parts. Part I involved independent questionnaires, which were prepared for different cohorts: 1) educated, 2) employed and 3) unemployed.

The questions were based on various proposed life models that can be to maintain the heterogeneity according to the preferences of the target group. Once the questionnaire was deemed appropriate to be used for examination of the quality of life, the final set of questions was finalised (18–21). These questionnaires apart from the participants’ journey since diagnosis, included sections on the impact of the COVID-19 on daily routines, variations between present and pre-COVID mental health with exacerbations if any, social relationships, and the transition to online classes/work-from-home hybrid model. Part II of this study involved extensive online interviews which were conducted in English.

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Autism in India - Results Additionally, the audio-recorded interviews were transcribed into electronic format. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were performed for the assessed variables and divided into profuse segments following the precedence of the study.

Statistical Analysis The analyses were conducted using Microsoft Excel 2019 where the quantitative data was presented by frequencies and percentages while qualitative data was presented using interrater reliability. We used the critical realism thematic approach to analyse the responses (22). We analysed the content and identified themes across the participants’ responses to broadly organize the causes of exacerbation of mental health presentations. Figure 1 consists of broad themes on how COVID19 could have exacerbated mental health.

To minimize the risk of bias and expand the extent of the accurate representation of data we calculated interrater reliability using Cohen’s Kappa Coefficient. The quality of agreement was defined as follows: values ≤ 0 as indicating no agreement and 0.01–0.20 as none to slight, 0.21–0.40 as fair, 0.41– 0.60 as moderate, 0.61–0.80 as substantial, and 0.81–1.00 as almost perfect agreement. Perfect agreement (0.81–1.00) was reached for 96.5% of the variables (23). Table 1 consists of categories and percentages of response in addition to interrater reliability.

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All participants reported having received information about the coronavirus, where the sources of information were COVID-19 websites (50%), social media (50%), News Channels (40%), Newspapers (20%), and family and friends (1%). One participant reported refraining from all the news.

A significant number of participants reported a sufficient level of comfort in adhering to lockdown rules (80%) and staying indoors (60%) during the pandemic.

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Autism in India - Results contd The participants reported experiencing negative emotions: low moods (90%), depression (60%), panic attacks (50%), and overthinking (50%) during the nationwide COVID lockdown.

All candidates reported worsening of mental health in comparison with pre-lockdown states with higher frequency (60% high and 40% medium) and higher intensity (70% high and 30% medium) of negative emotions.

The reported levels of anxiety at home were: Non-Existent (10%), Low (20%), High (30%), and Unbearable (40%).

From the analyses of the responses, the most common factors that were found to affect mental health were: affected social relationships, sensory overload, loud home surroundings. The reported factors to have supported mental health were: discovering their strategies to help them during meltdowns (50%), staying at home with minimal interaction with new people (60%). Participants described how the initial preference to avoid social interactions became difficult after a few months.

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Autism in India - Results contd P1 reported: “Initially, I was happy - I didn’t have to talk to new people, so stress decreased. Initially, my mental health was good.

Became worse with progressive months. By the third month, I craved human contact. That impacted my mental health negatively.”

50% of the participants were perturbed about loved ones becoming infected with SARS-CoV 2, and how they now had more burden and responsibilities.

P5 reported about supplementary competence: “Day-care for my son was gone, so added responsibilities, husband is very social so he was losing his mind, we started fighting.”

However, at the same time, more time spent with family was followed by misunderstandings and disagreements: increased time spent together resulted in disagreements and misunderstandings.

For example, P9 reported: “Misunderstanding with parents, parents' relationship is fragile, they are not going for divorce, they used to fight a lot, this impacted me, and each other’s anger was put on me.”

Another contributor to the soaring stress levels was unreliability and uncertainty over job security and access to healthcare facilities. Those who were employed (n=7) reported difficulty in transition to work from a home-based setup.

Additionally, participants devised strategies and ways to help them during meltdowns.

For example, P2 reported about managing the multifaceted stressors of the pandemic: “Set personal boundaries, changed philosophies, morality on certain behaviours, all that shifted in the lockdown, I don’t want to set unrealistic expectations of myself, realistic expectations from myself, Learnt more about different things”.

Among all interviewed adults, regardless of age or gender, the living circumstances appear to be appreciably associated with specific support sources. Those who were employed and living an independent life had a lack of a natural support system, while those who were students lived with their families and particularly depended on the support provided by the family. Since all services and activities were moved online teletherapy became the new normal and the counsellors/therapists/ practitioners spoke to their clients over tele sessions. 56% preferred in-person therapy, 33% preferred teletherapy while 11% found therapy ineffective.

4.0 Discussion Adults belonging to the range of autism spectrum disorders are one of the clinical groups at the highest risk of being affected by COVID-19. This study analysed the impact that COVID-19 had on autistic adults living in India. The escalated risk of exposure in this population can be elucidated by a variety of factors including necessary daily care requiring regular contact, shared transportation, etc.

It’s worth highlighting the importance of the internet and the effect it has on minds in providing easy-to-understand information.

Overall, the analyses of the participants’ responses stipulated that the reverberation of the COVID-19 pandemic on autistic people's mental health has been variable. Participants encountered both positive and negative emotions, not, particularly at the extremes.

Factors like disrupted routine schedules, fear of job loss, poor domestic support system and inconsistency in transition were associated with development and worsening of pre-existing psychological and behavioural conditions like depression, anxiety, panic attacks and high-stress levels. At the same time, reduced interactions with decreased social insistence led to an improvement for some participants.

Unfortunately, the magnified risk of negatives outweighs this benefit. Irrespective of age, gender, and financial stability, fortification by family and friends played an important role to reduce anxiety. The other encouraging factor to be accentuated was recreational and leisure activities, in addition to discovering new ways to adapt to the new routine.

Auxiliary efforts were required especially by the employed individuals to make their family and work-life compatible.

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Autism in India - Conclusions There is a critical requirement of studies to highlight how the pandemic has affected the employment of people with Autism as they are frequently only recognized as the recipient of services. Hardly any importance is given to the role that the individuals with Autism play for the support of surrounding members. Other needs expressed by autistic adults were related to access to appropriate and affordable healthcare services. Before the pandemic, accessibility was a huge problem for autistic people and this appears to have been amplified over this period. There was variability in participants’ experiences of therapy. While a small proportion found it ineffective, a significant number of participants found in-person and teletherapy effective.

Based on our above findings it is amiable to deduce the direct and indirect implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on adults with autism spectrum disorders in India. The analyses of the participants’ responses and perspectives exemplify the significant decline of mental well-being. The findings of this study emphasize the need for the development of innovative approaches and the creation of multifaceted support systems to address mental distress in this population.

A set of recommendations have been curated to ensure better support and therapy resources are available to the neurodiverse community: 1) Enhanced availability and accessibility of therapists, counsellors and practitioners.

2) Virtual helplines to cater to the emotional well-being and mental health concerns.

3) Multidisciplinary centres with therapists, doctors and support staff could actively provide real-time support and toolkits for safe mental well-being. Further studies can investigate the real-world application of early interventions, provision of full-time support via support groups and neurodiverse specific helplines; to address the mental health concerns and mitigate the effects of prolonged quarantine as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown in this population.

6.0 Limitations of the study The selection of the participants was randomised with variations in their demography. Due to time and financial constraints the sample size was relatively small to draw any conclusive judgments, lacking geographical and socioeconomic diversity. Sampling biases could have led to a skewed understanding of the issues examined, for example, participants varied in their verbal expressions of feelings, either being extremely verbose or too laconic (being a part of the spectrum).

Therefore, findings may only be characteristic of the segments of the population represented. The questionnaires used were created by the authors working on this project and no standard tools were used to assess the mental well-being of the participants. To enable more consistency in the future, we would recommend the use standard questionnaires, look into a larger sample size of the participants and document their strategies for verifying diagnoses and eligibility.

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Autism in India - References 13. Bellomo TR, Prasad S, Munzer T, Laventhal N. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children with autism spectrum disorders. J Pediatr Rehabil Med [Internet]. 2020 [cited 2021 May 26];13(3):349– 54. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32986631/ 14. Boat TF, Wu JT, Disorders C to E the SSIDP for C with M, Populations B on the H of S, Board on Children Y and F, Medicine I of, et al. Clinical Characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder. 2015 Oct 28 [cited 2021 May 22]; Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK332891/ 15. Hodges H, Fealko C, Soares N. Autism spectrum disorder: definition, epidemiology, causes, and clinical evaluation. Transl Pediatr [Internet]. 2020 Feb [cited 2021 May 22];9(S1):S55–65. Available from: /pmc/articles/PMC7082249/ 16. Mukherjee SB, Malhotra MK, Aneja S, Chakraborty S, Deshpande S. Diagnostic accuracy of Indian Scale for Assessment of Autism (ISAA) in chidren aged 2–9 years. Indian Pediatr. 2015 Mar 1;52(3):212–6.

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CLINICAL PERSPECTIVE

WHY IS THERE A PANDEMIC OF HEART DISEASE AND TYPE 2 DIABETES IN SOUTH ASIANS? RAJ BHOPAL CBE, DSC(HON), MPH, MD, FRCPE, FFPHM EMERITUS PROFESSOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH THE USHER INSTITUTE, THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH

Raj Bhopal reflects on the gargantuan, longterm pandemic facing South Asians and its causes and consequences in his latest book, Epidemic

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and

Sri

demonstrated in 1985 by the Southall, London Diabetes I was raised from 1955 in Glasgow, Scotland, an epicentre for coronary heart disease (CHD) and as a teenager was aware of people dying suddenly from heart attacks. As a clinical medical student in A & E I remember, still with shock, the frantic, unsuccessful attempt to resuscitate a 29year old woman after a myocardial infarction. As a junior doctor I looked after mostly men with heart attacks, some in their late 30s and early 40s. Seeing at post-mortem the dissected, glistening coronary artery with discrete yellow plaques and a snakelike thrombus is a sight never forgotten. By the time I entered public health in 1983 I knew the six big risk factors from both clinical and epidemiologic perspectives:

smoking,

high

cholesterol,

high

blood

pressure, diabetes, physical inactivity and poor quality diet.

Survey. Just after my conversation with Prof Littler, Professor Michael Marmot presented data showing that men living in England and Wales who were born in the Indian Subcontinent had an age standardised mortality ratio 15% higher than in those predominantly White European origin men born in England and Wales. Oops, I was wrong! I learned a lesson about the limitations of firstprinciples-based thinking. It needs to be tested through library research and empirically. In my subsequent studies, to my surprise, I found that the high risk of heart disease in South Asians had already been demonstrated in a number of countries including South Africa, and many papers had discussed the dangers of type 2 diabetes, although without empirical research data.

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CLINICAL PERSPECTIVE

Secondly, I considered whether arterial stiffness is leading to

The book has 10 chapters: the

size

Indian

of

the

problem

subcontinent

in

and

the

UK,

some

the

other

countries and an overview of causes; genetic explanations including the thrifty genotype; genetic

explanations

including

body

composition; genetic explanations to do with behaviour and the brain; the

thrifty

phenotype

and

developmental

hypotheses; social

and

economic

development,

lifestyles and psychosocial circumstances; the established major risk factors in the context of South Asian health; about 22 other risk factors e.g. vitamin D, microbiota and infections; explanations

with

the

jigsaw

puzzle

metaphor and causal models; and, implications

for

67

policy,

public

health,

healthcare and research.

increased blood pressure in the central and major arteries e.g. the aorta, with adverse consequences.

Thirdly, I discussed the possibility that both atherosclerosis and type 2 diabetes are diseases of the microcirculation, the vasa vasorum -the vessels conveying the blood supply to the artery itself -in the case of the coronary heart disease, and the arterioles supplying the Islets of Langerhans in the case of type 2 diabetes.

Finally, I reflected on whether there is insufficient capacity, given the rapidity of change in lifestyles, to maintain homeostasis,

thereby

leading

to

allostasis

(changing

setpoints, e.g. the normal blood pressure resets to a higher level).

These newer hypotheses are interweaved with the existing ones, and are not to be seen as alternatives but as part of a complex picture. While researchers and scholars continue to delve into these complexities what are practitioners and policymakers to do? We could apply with extra vigour the internationally agreed CVD and type 2 diabetes prevention and treatment strategies, with actions at lower than usual thresholds of risk factors. Our challenge is to produce low cost, effective actions that professionals and the public can understand and health services

I introduced the metaphor of the jigsaw puzzle with pieces scattered and some missing at the beginning of the book and put the jigsaw together at the end. I hope Sushruta readers will try and complete the jigsaw better than I did. I then discussed the key question of causality with 22 internationally recognised researchers/scholars. Their observations are provided in the book and weaved into explanations. Let me summarise the main findings.

The known and traditional risk factors are incredibly important in explaining both cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes in South Asians. However, these traditional explanations are

can implement.

One important message for professionals and public is that the high risk of CVD and type 2 diabetes in urbanising South Asians is real but not inevitable. It does not seem to be innate or genetic and there is no strong evidence that these diseases are acquired in-utero, in early infancy and programmed in a fixed way. Insulin resistance and high natural insulin, topics that have been the centre of attention, are likely to be markers and not direct causes. Rather, exposure to the causal risk factors in childhood, adolescence and adulthood is the key.

necessary but insufficient. Important ideas such as insulin resistance, genetic variants and the foetal and developmental origins of disease are very interesting but not gaining strong support from research. Body composition, with relatively high fat mass and reduced muscle mass, is of potential importance in South Asians.

I developed four major new ideas to stimulate new work.

Firstly, I considered whether contaminants in the diet are causing

problems

and

focused

on

neoformed

contaminants e.g. advanced glycation end products and transfatty acids, both created through high-heat cooking.

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CLINICAL PERSPECTIVE

In

my

view

more

focus

is

needed

on

the

content of the diet and the preparation of food, on muscle bulk, and on the amount and nature of physical activity.

I am persuaded by my colleagues that South Asians

need

one

hour,

not

30

minutes,

of

exercise every day and some of that needs to be

anaerobic

i.e.

resistance

exercise,

increasing strength.

Public health strategy targeted at individuals and families needs to continue but to be successful this needs legislation and policy that alters environments allowing people to follow guidance easily. Obviously, as repeatedly said, preventative healthcare needs to be targeted to reduce tobacco use, tackle overweight/obesity,

control

and

prevent

hypertension,

diminish both exposure to glycating agents including glucose

Raj and his wife Roma complete 192 miles coast to coast walk from St Abbs to Robin Hoods bay.

and LDL-cholesterol levels. Actions are required to increase physical activity, muscle strength, fitness and to promote diets with complex carbohydrates and uncooked or lightly cooked vegetables and fruits. Unfortunately, these things are easier said than done.

I retired in May 2018 and handed over the baton to the new

Acknowledgements A full list of acknowledgements is in the book. Many colleagues helped me but 22 of them shared their innermost thoughts on the topic.They are listed in the book together with a digest of their ideas. My wife Roma was,

generations of scholars and researchers. I am confident that

as ever, the rock upon which my waves crashed. I thank Mr Vipin Zamvar

many mysteries will be uncovered and the pandemic will be

for inviting me to write this. It is an honour to do so on the 25th

controlled but this task will be harder and take longer than

anniversary of BAPIO, particularly as a recipient of the 2008 national

bringing Covid-19 to heel.

BAPIO award, of which I am very proud.

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POLICY

69

GEOPOLITICAL CONFLICTS AND IMPACT ON HEALTHCARE ZAARA NABI 1,GHULAM NABI 2 1 MADRAS COLLEGE, ST ANDREWS, SCOTLAND, UK 2 NHS TAYSIDE, NINEWELLS HOSPITAL, DUNDEE, UK

The right to life in all circumstances including during

The scale of this challenge is huge. Twenty people

conflicts is universally protected by international laws

every minute are displaced due to conflicts or fear of

and regional treaties, however, right to healthcare is less

persecution by the governments of the world. There

well defined and does not find as much support and devotion in these declarations.

Leading to this, the

United Nations (UN) with Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by 2030(1) recently stipulated a clear question:

are more than 22.2 million refugees in various countries and this figure does not include internally displaced people. More than 10 million people are

How can we achieve universal accessibility to healthcare

stateless

for populations affected by conflicts?

Protracted conflicts cause food insecurity and

and

are

denied

basic

healthcare.

malnutrition, especially in children and young Right to healthcare during conflicts should be a basic

adults. The crises of workforce in particular doctors

human right, especially in areas where long-standing

are a real challenge. More than half the doctors in

geopolitical issues have protracted over a long period for

Syria have fled the conflicted country (4). The

various reasons.The well-being of society is generally

destruction of infrastructure weakens the ability to

ignored and not even a part of The original Geneva

fight

declaration, an oath made to prevent medical crimes

population, due to the conflict within their own

against humanity (2). The Conventions stipulate and expect parties of the conflict to respect and provide emergency care to the wounded and sick including the health workers

outbreaks

of

pandemics.

The

displaced

country, live in poor conditions of overcrowding and spread

of

life-threatening

infections:

cholera,

that offer them care. In geopolitical conflicts, there is

respiratory diseases, viral illness etc. (1). Mental and

completely silence on the potential to offer the right to

maternal health is particularly vulnerable.

available, accessible and acceptable quality of health services to the civilian population (3)

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HEALTH IN GLOBAL CONFLICT

POLICY

It is strange and completely in contrast to beliefs and

Most healthcare delivery in conflict areas is funded by the

principles of modern society that such an important issue

governments and is dependant heavily on the prevailing

of right to health has not been focus of intense discussion

political agenda. Very few international organisations such

or debate in international fora.

as the International Red Cross provide short-term aid in areas and help in recovery. However they are not mandated

Acts of charity, protection and standing up for co-human

to provide a sustainable healthcare and most conflicts are

beings are known to be common acts to societies all over

infact chronic and protracted or have a 40% risk of

the world but state-run machineries conveniently turn a

reverting back to acute state after an initial temporarily

blind eye.(3). States and governments go further in some

resolution.

parts

of

world

and

formulate

laws

and

policies

contradictory to basic access healthcare rights against

The collection of data as source to plan healthcare in

groups in society, in particular for migrants and women

countries where conflicts are happening is often poor. The

exercising their reproduction right, denying them to have

4W matrix (who does what, where and when) is collected

the ability to protect and care for their body because of

only in two out of 13 conflicts studied (1). Needs assessments

popular opinions opposed on them.

are patchy and quality of data collected is often not reliable.

‘Beneficiaries’

of

aid

are

not

consulted

and

lack

These laws have been opposed, however in some states

representation in decision-making and have no trust in the

medical workers and doctors are continually persecuted

system. Combined with the risk of aid being perceived as

for providing healthcare in an impartial way to parties

politically motivated, the humanitarian health related aid

involved in conflict (5). This discourages medical help

interventions

reaching the people in need at a time most critical for

population being stranded to fend for themselves. The

them. In the United Kingdom, the risk of prosecution for

question remains:

become

less

effective

resulting

in

the

legitimate humanitarian effort is low but not zero and ambiguous interpretation may leave space for criminal

Can we make healthcare a universal service in conflicts-torn

charges to be brought against workers especially in areas

areas of the globe?

where terrorism is rife.

The world has resources, manpower and capacity to deliver this. To answer this question, the status quo needs to be

Many governments have become more risk-averse and

challenged. A planned reorganisation of effort combined

banned funding from banks, charities, and humanitarian

with political willingness can make this possible.

organisations denying good work done on healthcare. This has detrimental impact of the health of people in poor

Deliver Accelerated Results Effectively and Sustainably

countries (6). Bureaucratic or administrative hurdles and

(DARES) is a collaborative effort between WHO, World Food

procrastination of processes of health related work by the

Programme (WFP), UNICEF, UNFPA and World Bank to

states, dissuade humanitarian organisations to fund local

preserve and improve healthcare in conflict settings(9, 10).

projects (7). This constant neglect for the war or conflict affected

populace

demonstrates

societal

immorality

towards the innocent people. The immigrant population at borders or within the country suffer dearly from healthcare neglect: Physical and mental wellbeing of those who have chosen to move out of their country of birth due to conflict, becomes nobody’s issue.

External

support

through

charities is often limited or not possible in the current environment with legal hurdles (2, 8).

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HEALTH IN GLOBAL CONFLICT

We reproduce some of the principles of this initiative

References

here:

1.

Support national systems. Strengthen local national systems and prepare and respond to deteriorating healthcare scenario in conflicted zones.

Wesley H TV, Seita A. No health without peace: why SDG 16 is

essential for health. Lancet. 2016(388):2352-3.

2.

B VD. Human rights in war: On the entangled Foundations of

the 1949 Geneva Conventions. Journal of the American Society of International Law. 2018;112:553–82.

Implement, multi-layered, flexible long-term planning

3.

Evidence base programming.

ATTACK:

The efforts need to

71

Geneva TGI. HEALTH CARE IN CONFLICT ZONES - STILL UNDER

match needs based on data, joint analyses and focus

https://www.graduateinstitute.ch/communications/news/health-

on most vulnerable.

care-conflict-zones-still-under-attack 2018 [

Maximize partnership. There should be a collective

4.

assessment, decision-making and risk sharing.

A B. Syria’s health crisis spirals as doctors flee. Times. 2014;4(4).

5.

Katherine HA. Violence against health care. International

Review of the Red Cross. 2013;95(889):167-87.

6.

ICRC. Protracted conflict and humanitarian action: some

recent ICRC experiences. Geneva: International Committee of the Red Cross. 2016.

A universal healthcare package should be based on local

7.

needs and empowerment with no compromise in equity of

https://www.healthpolicypartnership.com/under-threat-healthcare-

access and quality of care(11). In conclusions, world needs

in-conflict-zones/ 2021 [

robust collaborative efforts to place a healthcare system for

8.

the conflicts affected populations with agreed basic work packages and quality assessment systems. This should be backed by a sound legal system transcending the

F E. Under threat: healthcare in conflict zones:

Debarre A. Hard to Reach: Providing Healthcare in Armed

Conflict. https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/1812_Hard-toReach.pdf2018.

9.

DARES. https://www.who.int/emergencies/partners/dares-

geographical boundaries of the world map. Till this shape

operational-framework-nov17.pdf 2017 [

up, the suffering of fellow human being due to lack of basic

10.

healthcare will continue to be there in some part of the

effectively and sustainably/Produire des resultats acceleres de

world.

maniere efficace et durable. Health and Medicinee. 2018.

11.

Leech L. Who DARES wins. Delivering accelerated results

Thompson R. HEALTHCARE IN CONFLICT SETTINGS LEAVING

NO ONE BEHIND. World Innovation summit for health. 2018;1.

Ghulam Nabi

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Global Healthcare Systems

The role of a new era of global collaborations Parth Jain DOI https://doi.org/10.38192/14.3.2

ABSTRACT The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the world, socially, economically and politically. There have been many positives in global scientific information flow, collaboration, speed of translation of research, technological innovation and its diffusion has been phenomenal. However the cost to human lives and livelihood has also been catastrophic.

In the post-pandemic world, the ambition to provide a wellresourced and universal health infrastructure to populations has become a challenge even for wealthy nation-states. The access to routine and elective healthcare has become severely compromised. In poorer nations, this has affected basic healthcare needs particularly for children, women and those on or below the poverty line.

Yet health is a fundamental human right, one that is guaranteed by the treatise on ‘Declaration of Health for All’ to which most countries are signatories. However, could the impact of this pandemic be mitigated by global health initiatives and collaboration? In this context, it is pertinent to analyse the existing global health framework and conventions to identify how we may prepare for future challenges.

Keywords Covid-19, pandemic, global health, public health

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Global Health Systems - Introduction Due to globalisation, the mobility of the human population and urbanisation is likely to make the next emerging virus spread rapidly. It will be impossible to predict the nature of such a virus or its source and to what extent it shall spread.

However, there will likely be delays in recognising and acting on such a future health threat/virus. Unusually, both developed and developing countries remain critically vulnerable. This is not the first time a health emergency has been declared by the World Health Organisation (WHO), and it will certainly not be the last.

Right To Health- A Fundamental Right The right to health is a fundamental human right. [1] The preamble of the 1946 Constitution of the WHO defines health as "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity". The preamble further states that "the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of each person without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition." Since its first declaration, various international treaties and laws recognised the right to health or its sublets like the right to medical care. Every nation-state has adopted health as a fundamental right and ratified its internal treaties and policies recognising health.

Right to health is an inclusive term. It includes the basics of survival, namely air, clean drinking water or healthy food, and freedom from non-consensual medical experiments and treatments posing a risk to human life. Further, it also highlights equality when it comes to health. Nondiscrimination is a key to equality and crucial for enjoying the right to the highest attainable standard of health.

Right to Health and Right to be Healthy Discriminated: A common misconception is that the state guarantees good health. However, one fails to consider factors beyond the state's control, such as an individual's hygiene or economy.

The state may provide adequate means to improve the standard of living and maintain that standard is an individual's choice. The right to remain healthy is unconditional, whereas the right to health is the enjoyment of conditions required to attain a healthy life. Moreover, no nation-state may offer a defence under the blanket of financial breakdown or a lack of resources for not recognising this right.

Role of the WHO WHO is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations.[2] It is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters and collaboration across the many health systems across the globe. In the 21st century, health is a shared international responsibility, allowing equitable access to essential care and collective defence against transnational threats.The WHO was established during World War -II [3] and had been striving to establish conventions, agreements and recommendations concerning international health matters.[4] It also actively participates in the research of various epidemic diseases and props humanity in fighting against them.[5] The WHO is also responsible for framing various policies and agreements to set out international health standards and define a healthy life. The most historic responsibility that WHO takes up is the international control of the spread of disease.[6] International Health Regulation The International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) adopted by the World Health Assembly came into force in June 2007.

These regulations are binding on 194 state parties and all the members of the WHO.[7] This regulation is the successor of the International Sanitary Regulations 1951 that was renamed and reframed to International Health Regulations 1969, further revised to International Health Regulations 2005. This instrument protects the states from the outbreak of disease, public health risks and public health emergencies.[8] The reason for IHR, as per article 2, is ‘to prevent, protect against, control and provide a public health response to the international spread of disease in ways that are commensurate with and restricted to public health risks, and which avoid unnecessary interference with international traffic and trade’.

Evolution Of Global Health Laws [9] Public health is among the earliest domains of international cooperation for which an intergovernmental organisation was created. However, the scope of international legal cooperation of public health until recently was minimal.

Diseases have been the unwelcomed travelling companion of international commerce throughout history, and international public health cooperation is concerned with protecting public health. The functions of the first international health organisations of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries centred on combating infectious and communicable diseases and preventing their spread across international boundaries.

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Global Health Systems For instance, the Conseil supérieur de santé (Superior Council of Health) of Constantinople, composed of delegates of the Ottoman Empire and the chief maritime states, was established in 1838 to supervise sanitary regulation of the Turkish ports to stop the spread of cholera. International disease control remained the predominant area of international legal cooperation throughout the midnineteenth century and most of the twentieth century. With attention limited to international disease control, public health law remained a comparatively neglected field—the WHO traditionally neglected the utilisation of international legislative strategies to publicise its global public health policies. Member states also paid little attention to the potential contribution of the law of nations in advancing global health during most of the last century.

Global health law is defined as a ‘field that encompasses the legal norms, processes, and institutions needed to make the conditions for people throughout the planet to achieve the very best possible level of physical and mental health’. Within the last few decades, the global health law has expanded due to globalisation, public health diplomacy, and concerns with economic and social rights.

Healthcare in the European Union & Asia Every country in the European Union (EU) has its healthcare system, which has many similarities to the National Health Service in the UK and automatically includes all its citizens. In most countries, healthcare is free except for some paid services.[10] The introduction of internal markets has increased healthcare efficiency and simplified resource allocation. However, the resource pressures on the nationstates are likely to go up with increasing expectations, medical advancement and ageing populations. Many EU countries have failed to curb the inequalities in health status and rising health resource demands. As far as Asian countries are concerned, healthcare is a melange of public and privately managed programmes.[11] Covid-19 Impact on the EU [12] While many countries implemented an effective command and control mechanism to control and contain the emerging pandemic, the EU was largely unprepared. The stockpiles of equipment to tackle such a pandemic with infection control, personal protection, medicines, and life-support ventilators were considered inadequate. Inordinate delays were encountered in sourcing these as global trade came to a standstill. Crisis management plans fell at the altar of logistics, forcing healthcare staff to improvise and compromise, often their safety. There was a realisation that practical global cooperation in the redistribution of essential equipment was a necessity.

Thus, logistics, crisis preparedness, coordination, and continuing with routine healthcare are areas that require future improvement on a global scale. There is no "ideal healthcare system", but there is a need for long-term investment in human resources and infrastructure. Public funding to provide universal access to essential healthcare is a dream of many welfare orientated nation-states such as the UK and many EU countries. However, there is a challenge to reconcile public expectations from their health service and their willingness to pay. The ideological barrier is that the healthy, younger working populace are usually reluctant to pay for the health care costs of the elderly, those that are unable to work productively and with chronic ailments.

Paying for healthcare for children is an exception.

Real-time data-driven digital innovations, including continued investment in health promotion and genomics, are crucial to breaking the disease cycles, creating affordable healthcare systems, and offering universal coverage, thus improving long-term outcomes.

The impact of Covid-19 in Asia [13] The strategy to contain the SARS-CoV-2 virus in East Asia was by using conventional containment measures, often viewed by many as 'draconian' such as in Singapore and Hong Kong.

In some developing parts of the world like India and Africa, with inadequate public health infrastructure and burgeoning populace, the pandemic was tackled by public health education and non-pharmaceutical approaches such as social distancing, lockdowns, wearing masks at all times and community-led sanitising. In India, an early imposition of lockdown was a pivotal weapon to curb the spread of SARSCoV-2 virus in the first surge. The experience in the second surge in India was fuelled by a combination of religious and political decisions and a national leadership focussed on the machinations of democracy.Poverty, an under resource healthcare system and a high population remain a barrier for India to control its cases with similar conditions prevailing in Africa.

Failure of the WHO During SARS in 2002-03 the WHO was quick enough to impose travel restrictions and criticise China for not disclosing material facts and vitals necessary to curb the effect globally.

[14] After successfully eradicating SARS, the WHO warned member states about viruses and epidemics in the future and implored the international community to investigate every possible animal reservoir that could be a source for future outbreaks and also the movement of such viruses in humans.

China was warned about its wet markets and restrictions were imposed.

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Global Health Systems The mutable nature of viruses, coupled with China's growing urbanisation and apparent refusal to tackle the illegal trade in exotic animals, was termed a ticking 'time bomb'.[15] In 2019 when a pneumonia-like virus was detected in Wuhan [16], China, despite previous experience during SARS, the WHO failed to take prompt action. [17] The WHO's lack of responsiveness and leadership during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic has compromised the faith that memberstates have previously placed in it.

Need For International Pandemic Treaty Covid-19, to date, continues to have a devastating impact on the world, with countries developing their policies and interventions, often at odds with their neighbours.[18] There are bipartite agreements implemented on sourcing life-saving equipment, and vaccine diplomacy gives way to vaccine protectionism. There is a need for a new international order in public health. Perhaps in the form of an international health treaty.

The treaty should bring nations together, dispel the temptations for protectionism and nationalism, address the challenges that could only be resolved through collaboration and rebuild trust. The French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Markel and other leaders are urging all countries to be better prepared to predict, prevent, detect, assess and efficiently respond to future pandemics in an organised and professional fashion.[19] A new treaty should mandate collaboration and sharing of research and development expertise, data and resources. The Vaccine collaborative is one area of collaboration. Many countries led by South Africa and India seek a temporary pandemic waiver to global rules protecting the technology for Covid vaccines, which wealthier countries including the United Kingdom and the USA have rejected, fearing a negative impact on the financial interests of the pharmaceutical industry. [20] Such a waiver of intellectual rights will be detrimental to future innovation. However, an international treaty on public health will be able to provide guarantees so that investment in innovations are shared equitably, and outcomes are people-oriented. While competition and incentives are essential for driving innovation, the price to humankind is too high to reject a welldesigned international treaty. Perhaps the WHO will need to be reincarnated with transparency and responsiveness, which is critical for the survival of humankind. We owe it to the five million who have lost their lives in the current pandemic.

REFERENCES 1. Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, The Right to Health [Internet]. Fact Sheet 31 [cited 2021 June 28].

Available from: URL. 2. World Health Organisation Constitution, Article 2(a): ‘to act as the directing and coordinating authority on international health work’ [Internet]. Constitution Chapter II [cited 2021 June 28]. Available from: URL. 3. The Constitution of The World Health Organisation came into force on April 7, 1948 [cited 2021 June 28]. Celebrated as ‘World Health Day’ [Internet]. Available from: URL. 4. World Health Organisation Constitution, Article 2(c): ‘to assist the government, upon request, in strengthening health services’ [Internet].

Constitution Chapter II [cited 2021 June 28]. Available from: URL. 5. The health consequences of emergencies and disasters [Internet].

Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management Framework (2019) [cited 2021 June 28]. Available from: URL. 6. The World Health Organisation takes up the historic challenge of disease control management International Health Regulation (2005) [Internet], 3rd Edition [cited 2021 June 28]. Available from: URL. 7. The IHR are legally binding on 196 countries including the 194 member states [Internet]. International Health Regulations (2005), 3rd Edition [cited 2021 June 28]. Available from: URL. 8. Toolkit for implementation in national legislation [Internet]. National IHR focal point [cited 2021 June 2008] Available from: URL 9. Allyn Taylor, Global Health Law: International Law and Public Health Policy [Internet]. United States National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health [cited 2021 June 28]. Available from: URL 10. Dr.Lijy Thomas, Health Care in the European Union is absolutely free except for the subscription to its paid service [Internet]. News Medical Life Sciences [cited 2021 June 28]. Available from: URL. 11. Dr.Lijy Thomas, Health Care System in Asia [Internet]. News Medical Life Science [cited 2021 June 28]. Available from: URL. 12. Covid-19 effects on the unprepared European Union [Internet].

Inadequacy in curbing the pandemic. News Medical Life Sciences [cited 2021 June 28]. Available from: URL. 13. Response to Covid-19 in Asia [Internet]. News Medical Life Sciences [cited 2021 June 28]. Available from: URL. 14. J.S.Mackenzie, The WHO Response To SARS and Preparations For The Future [Internet]. NCBI [cited 2021 June 28]. Available from: URL. 15. Samir Saran, #Covid19: Dr.WHO gets prescription wrong [Internet].

ORF [cited 2021 June 28]. Available from: URL. 16. World Health Organisation Report [Internet],WHO Statement regarding cluster of pneumonia cases in Wuhan, China [cited 2021 june 28]. Available from: URL. 17. J.S.Mackenzie, The WHO Response To SARS and Preparations For The Future [Internet]. NCBI [cited 2021 June 28]. Available from: URL. 18. World leaders call the pandemic ‘greatest test of solidarity in generation’ [Internet]. The Indian Express [cited 2021 June 28].

Available from: URL. 19. Global treaty needed to protect states from pandemics, say world leaders [Internet]. The Guardian [cited 2021 June 28]. Available from: URL. 20. Emma Frage, Wealthy countries block Covid-19 drugs right waiver at WTO [Internet]. Reuters [cited 2021 June 28]. Available from: URL.

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Reflections of a Psychiatrist

Shailja Chaturverdi, the author of Reflections on Psychiatry, has devoted her career to patients in Western Sydney, a region of widely varying incomes, employment, education and ethnic backgrounds. In short, exactly the kind of area where psychiatrists are most needed, rather than clustering in comfortable inner suburbs. Her dedication is of the highest, her practice impeccable and this is reflected in the cases described in her book.

Reflections on Psychiatry is for general readers but contains much for the profession. It is a book not only for and about patients, but psychiatrists, looking at issues like research, journals, ethics and spirituality.

Reflections describes psychiatric disorders with comments on treatment and presentation supplemented by case vignettes. In addition useful sections are added, such as violence in schizophrenia, NDIS, refugee settlement, euthanasia and climate change. There is good insight on resilience and domestic violence, issues always relevant to psychiatric practice.

To this writer’s relief, the author does not wedge her case descriptions into the tight-fitting corset of the egregious DSM (as so prevalent now psychiatric textbooks), but follows a clinically sensible and user-friendly pattern. As some past efforts show, this is harder do than it seems, but this author reaches her goal in an admirable fashion.

Two issues raised in the book should be of special interest to psychiatric readers. Dr Chaturverdi is scathingly honest in her chilling account of the new world of medical regulation by complaints units run by bureaucrats and, as often becomes evident, non-medical people with a vested antagonism towards doctors. The two cases she describes are far from exceptional and she rightly points out how vexatious complaints are given the benefit of the doubt with far lower standards of proof than are required in criminal courts. Another suspicion is that some doctors who sit on tribunals have a pharisaical sanctimony that ignores any consideration of collegial support. The casualties of the medical witch hunt are not insubstantial and there have been a few suicides. The role of our official body in supporting those who have fallen in this way is not encouraging. If we don’t look after our own, then who else is there to do that?

The author provides a case study of the tragic murder of a colleague by a patient, echoing the 2006 murder of Wayne Fenton, an authority on schizophrenia, punched to death by a 19-year-old schizophrenic patient in his rooms, and the murder of Dr Margaret Tobin, not by a patient but a deregistered psychiatrist. Murder of health care personnel is a growing problem and one likely to increase in future.

To add to this is the growing phenomenon of illness terrorism. Groups who reject medical explanations and treatment for their conditions (real or otherwise) often make death threats to doctors. Two notable offenders are the anti-vaxxers and the chronic fatigue lobby. Leading researchers have withdrawn from the field because of the sheer vehemence of the threats they have been subjected to. It can only be a question of time before another tragedy occurs.

Reflections on Psychiatry is a fine book written with wisdom, insight, empathy and compassion.

The vagaries of publishers being what they are, this is a user-friendly book with a clear and readable print with no typos – no mean achievement in this era of computerformatted printing and rather indifferent editing.

Robert Kaplan

DOI https://doi.org/10.38192/14.3.1 More than other medical disciplines, psychiatrists have a creative side that can be expressed in writing (not referring to academic works). This can come out in novels (occasionally, such as Irving Yalom), autobiographies (mostly a mixed bag) and books for the general reader. There is a fine line to follow. The public is always interested in psychiatry, but ever ready to misinterpret or criticise information that is not to its taste or does not meet the prevailing populist prejudices.

It is recommended for the public, trainees and mental health workers. It should be in every hospital library and there is much for practicing psychiatrists to learn.

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VOYAGE TO RECOVERY

Nandini Chakraborty DOI ABSTRACT The Voyage to Recovery was a UK wide project born out of a networking initiative of early intervention in psychosis (EIP) teams in liaison with Cirdan Sailing Trust, a non-profit charity organisation. Cirdan specialises in enabling groups of young people, particularly those who are disadvantaged in some way, to experience the challenge and adventure of life at sea on large sailing vessels.

Yet health is a fundamental human right, one that is guaranteed by the treatise on ‘Declaration of Health for All’ to which most countries are signatories. However, could the impact of this pandemic be mitigated by global health initiatives and collaboration? In this context, it is pertinent to analyse the existing global health framework and conventions to identify how we may prepare for future challenges.

Keywords Covid-19, pandemic, global health, public health

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Voyage to Recovery It was in December 2020 that I was contacted by a fellow consultant psychiatrist working in EIP, Dr Wolfgang Kuster, from Tees, Esk And Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust. The project at that point was well underway. Dr Mike Jackson, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Betsi Cadwaladr University, held the central organisation.

The plan was to have an 8-week project, involving 8 legs which would each include 5-6 days of sailing around the British Isles. Each leg would have involvement from one or two EIP teams- around 10 patients and 5 staff supported by 3 professional crew from Cirdan. In an initial meeting with Mike and Wolfgang, to discuss how I could help the project, the direction was obvious- to get the Leicester EIP team involved.

We were slotted in with Norfolk and Suffolk EIP who were looking for partners for their leg from Ipswich to London.

Our boat would be the hardy Faramir. Faramir, a Ketch with a length of 22.35m and a breadth of 5.26m, was designed by Marine Architect David Cannell in 1982, specifically for use as a sail training vessel for an organisation called Shaftsbury Homes & Arethusa, from where she gained her name, ‘Arethusa’.

In 2002, after many years of service, during which she developed a following of loyal sailors, Arethusa was sold on to another sail training organisation who changed her name to ‘Bulldog’. Not being able to fulfil her potential, her owners sold her to The Cirdan Sailing Trust in January 2006.

Being absolutely ideal for the work undertaken by The Cirdan Sailing Trust, she was purchased to replace the vessel Hartlepool Renaissance which had to be retired from service at the end of the 2005 season. Finding it necessary to change her name again, the vessel was renamed Faramir after Cirdan’s sister charity with which it joined forces in 2002.

The project was due to start in June 2021 but was pushed back by COVID restrictions. Ultimately when it started in late July 2021, it was only down to the perseverance and hard work of the Cirdan staff- Pippa and Leonie who set down to re-booking marinas and re-organizing the trip. By sheer determination they pulled it off. Unfortunately, it would not be a ‘round the UK’ sail anymore but a ‘there and back’ along the east coast. Leicester and the Norfolk-Suffolk team still got Ipswich to London, dated for 12th to 17th September.

Sadly, there were team members on both sides who could no longer make the new dates. They stuck with us till the end, helping with food shopping, emails, paperwork. Our hearts were with them throughout the trip.

12 SEPTEMBER 12th September 2021, Leicester to Ipswich, then somewhere into the River Orwell

So, at last we set off. An early meet up at base, Merlyn Vaz centre to do a last set of current lateral flow tests and register them on Gov.UK, we set off in taxi at 7:30 AM. Along with Gen, my CPN colleague, I was responsible for the four patients who were accompanying us on this trip. They were all in their early twenties, had been through psychotic episodes, doing well currently but still fighting anxieties as they readied themselves for new jobs, universities, and volunteering. All of them were keen for the trip. A little nervous, uncertain what to expect but certainly enthusiastic. Catherine Bayley, our clinical psychologist who had been instrumental in helping plan the trip was unable to join us but waved us off.

We reached Haven Marina in Ipswich where we met our Norfolk/Suffolk colleagues for the first time (outside MS teams). Craig was a peer volunteer, Felicity a social worker and Laura a mental health nurse. Also waiting for us was Justin, our photographer arranged by the Royal College of Psychiatrists to take our ‘set-off photographs’. Some of our staff set off with our patients for a McDonald’s snack. Craig from the Norfolk & Suffolk team and I stayed back to guard our stuff.

We discovered on ringing Mark Oliver our skipper that Faramir was right at the opposite end of where we had offloaded our luggage and considerable food supplies (whatever else happened, we were not going hungry). Whilst we were trying to figure out how to get there with all our bags, Mark sent over our bosun Jake with a dinghy to gather our luggage so that we could walk the mile needed, with just our day packs.

So now it happened- our foray into the world of posh boats, yachts, and marinas. Armed with the code which let us through the gate, admitting us to the towpaths, we had a view of several cheekily named vessels, lined up on a watery version of car park. Several poshly dressed couples passed us on the way to their private yachts as we stood surrounded by Tesco bags full of carefully budgeted food and toilet supplies.

It was a brilliantly sunny day, blue sky, and blue water. We had arrived at the marina. We had established contact with our crew. Nothing was going to dampen our spirits.

We reached the Faramir in a procession after sending over the heavy bags. The first sight of Faramir, with her name painted over deep blue, tall masts with her sails neatly tucked away, rich, and heavy wood stretching out in an oblong 22.35 metres.

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Voyage to Recovery -2 The next three hours passed in a whir of getting everyone and everything on board, selecting bunks, putting away food in the fridges (tucked into the table in a genius of space saving), learning to put on our life jackets and the basic rules of sailing. We got to know our skipper Mark Oliver, first mate Sam and bosun Jake. Justin in the meantime busied himself clicking photographs and gave us a wonderful see-off.

We ultimately sailed 3 hours later, around 4:30 pm. Tides had to be right, the gates had to be opened and we had to absorb the enormous amount of basics to be of any use. It was all beginning to sink in, the combination of an understanding of physics and blessing of nature which can help a boat stream through the water, the bow cutting through the waves like a knife. We had managed a round of hot drinks and finished one of the rich chocolate cakes baked for us by a member of the Norfolk Suffolk EIP team. It would sustain us through to dinner.

We docked at around 7 pm. we stopped at a point in the River Orwell where an orange buoy was our point of anchor. Mark pointed it out to say that the ‘orangey balloon like thing’ would be our home for the night. We had sailed through a gentle river, rolling fields on both sides spotted with cottages.

Felixstowe docks with its large cranes stood at a distance.

After a dinner of chicken fajitas we turned in early. We had been told to sleep tight, it would be a long day tomorrow.

13 SEPTEMBER 13 September 2021, River Orwell, the Thames estuary and on to Dover (This would be turn out to be one of the best days of the trip.

A steady breeze, strong enough for the sails to pick up and the engine to take a rest for the day. 50-60 miles on the sea with a gentle sun and rocking waves. Ending with a view of the cliffs of Dover. Teamwork, beautiful scenery and feeling the rhythm of the Faramir under our feet. By the end of the day, we felt like true sailors.)

We were to sail at 7 am. I put on the alarm at 6 am, had coffee on the deck, watching the sky lightening and the birds getting to work. A chat with fellow shipmates in the cockpit is great way to start the day.

We were divided into two groups, to take ‘watch’ in turns. One group to be led by Sam and the other by Jake. We had a rota of 4 hours at a time to be on deck. The system worked like this: when we started sail for the day and when we docked, it was a case of all hands on deck to help. In between it would be a case of changing watch between groups every four hours. The early part of the sail would need sails putting up, the later end putting them down, getting ropes and fenders ready. In between it would be making sure the sails were in the right direction, sometimes needing tautening, sometimes slackening.

Around 9-10 am we crossed Felixstowe docks with its huge container ships and cranes. I was downstairs doing dishes when I felt a sudden surge of nausea. Being downstairs in the heart of the vessel with its kitchen, dining area, bunks and two tiny toilets is overwhelming when feeling seasick. I rushed upstairs to feel the breeze on my face. The scenery had changed, we had crossed the Thames estuary and were on the sea.

We crossed Harwick, Margate, Ramsgate and turned to the chalk cliffs of Dover. As the groups changed, we all took turns at steering under the watchful eyes of our professional crew.

I watched our patients grow in confidence through the day.

From being isolated and nervous in their own worlds, they were reaching out to each other, helping together as a team as instructions needed to be followed on deck and in the kitchen in making meals. Initially hesitant, they all ultimately took a go at steering.

As we got ready for bed after a dinner of spaghetti Bolognese, I reflected (and I truly would at different points during the voyage) on what I had learnt this day. I learnt about my own anxieties, the feeling of responsibility for our patients during the trip. And I realised that I was feeling more relaxed now.

Our patients were finding their own journeys, own spaces. I did not need to watch them every moment. Watching one of them help me when I struggled with a can of tomatoes and a not too efficient can opener; watching the patients of the two teams talk to each other openly sharing their feelings were tiny moments where no description is enough. Perhaps the greatest revealing moment was when I realised our skipper was an NHS consultant anaesthetist who used his annual leave to volunteer for Cirdan sailing trust, volunteering without charge.

I struggled to keep my eyes open for my video diary and my mobile does not have a blow by blow record of each sailing moment. We were realising something else, living a moment is precious. Every moment does not need capturing on lens.

The most exciting points on the deck were also the busiest.

We gave it our all. I do not need pics to remind me of that sun kissed sea we rocked through, sitting on the deck near the bow- chalk cliffs on one end, France on the other, a seal which jumped out with a tiny gymnastic roll to entertain us. Amid all that beauty, rubber boats in a distance which might be carrying illegal immigrants escaping desperate circumstances. There almost seemed too much going through me as sleep came over. This was certainly not a holiday and not a sporting event. It was not meant to be.

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Voyage to Recovery -3 14 SEPTEMBER 14 September 2021, Dover to Ramsgate

Breakfast at 8 am was followed by our first round of thorough boat cleaning. The entire team was given specific dutiessleeping quarters, kitchen and salon, the deck, chart house and most importantly- the toilets. We all did our bit, without question. Done by 11 am we were given until 2 pm to explore Dover. Gen and I walked with three of our patients to explore some history in Dover Castle. One more was still feeling too anxious to come off the boat to land, we did not press too much.

Walking up to Dover castle took twenty minutes. We spent an hour or so going through ruins which held stories of AngloSaxon times, Henry II and World War II. Our group stuck together, with a bit of guidance to show respect for each other, given importance to all tastes and views. We finished with the gift shop and it was a very satisfied team which returned to the boat.

We were all feeling better today and lunch went down well. 3 pm, we sailed off in the direction of Ramsgate. We would retrace some of our route from the day before and dock at Ramsgate. It was still a lot at sea but only around 15 miles.

Dinner was casserole and cheesecake. One thing was for sure. We were eating very well. The crew were speaking from the heart when they said that we were making a very good job of the food.

15 SEPTEMBER 15 September 2021, Ramsgate to Queenborough, Isle of Sheppey

It was breakfast duty for me today. Had porridge ready at 8 am so that we could eat and start off at 9 am. It would be a long sail, around 50 miles. But at the end we would re-enter the Thames estuary, sail up the river Medway and dock at Queenborough harbour on the Isle of Sheppey.

It was a sunny day again but with hardly any breeze. So, engines had to go on and there was less to do on the sails.

Not very exciting but we made most of the time to sit on the deck and find time to talk. Over the week we got time for a number of 1:1 chats, between professionals and with our patients.

The sea this day had a number of interesting World War relics.

We learnt about the ‘Principality of Sealand’ located on an abandoned sea fortress which due to its location in international waters is outside the jurisdiction of the UK. Claimed by Roy Bates, a major in the British army, Sealand has its own website where you are invited to apply for not only for merchandise but apply for knighthood and several other titles. https://sealandgov.org/about/.

We passed a cluster of WWII gunning platforms which looked like huge barrels supported by several legs, something out of a Star Wars movie. An old ship sunk at sea lay just with its mast sticking out- the SS Richard Montgomery. Explosives still lay at its heart and apparently it had stopped air routes from passing too near it, in the apprehension that vibrations might set up a giant explosion.

Reaching Queenborough we were in time to see a brilliant sunset. We managed to grill our food and have a ‘barbecue’ in the cockpit followed by fruit salad.

My handwritten notes were getting shorter and shorter.

Physical exertion feels good, satisfying but very tiring.

16 SEPTEMBER 16 September 2021, Queenborough to London

Woke up early to watch sunset over coffee in the cockpit with a heart-to-heart chat with Gen. Both of us were feeling deeply grateful for this opportunity- for our patients and for ourselves, really emotional about it. The priority of course was to finish the trip successfully but then go back home and talk about it further. It would be important to continue such activities in future. A one off was not good enough. We needed sustained change, an embedding of a culture which looked at outdoor team building activities both for patients and staff. The trip had been rewarding not only for our patients but for ourselves as well.

I found one of our patients in the kitchen attempting banana pancakes for sixteen people, to use the bananas which were beginning to get bruised. I asked her if I could help, she confidently pushed me a bowl of bananas to mash. For once, I was following instructions. The pancakes were a huge success and good fuel for our next round of ‘deep cleaning’.

This time I got the chart room- the space used by the skipper to navigate, communicate, and keep a log of observations. I expected to sweep the floor and wipe out the desks, but Mark had other things in mind. He got the floorboards off to expose a criss-cross of aluminium bars overhanging a deep chamber which held the machinery which ran the boat while on engine. He assured me that it looked more frightening than it was, and I would come to no harm even if I happened to fall in, which was reassuring. To be honest, the aluminium bars were strong and broad. I was not unsteady on them. The floorboards went off to the deck to be hosed and I cleaned the aluminium bars of dirt and grime worth possibly a couple of decades. A round of hoovering followed by a fine tuning of all purpose liquid and a scouring pad did a fine job. I was rather proud to see the look on Sam, Jake, and Mark’s faces.

We had two hours to explore Queenborough. Everyone came off board today. Most of our colleagues and patients went to enjoy themselves on a beach, with swimming, paddle boating or simply sitting on the beach.

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Voyage to Recovery -4 I went to two patients to walk around and find Queenborough castle which turned out to be a plaque on the ground in memory of a castle that once stood there. So we spent the time in a park, entertaining ourselves with the swings instead.

We set sail at midday with no wind. So, it was a quiet engine driven sail from Medway into Thames, entering London.

The colour of the water turns from greenish blue to deep cornflower as the rivers change. Somewhere as we entered the Thames, three dolphins made a quick jump for us, delighting us for a few quick seconds. We crossed the Thames barrier, Greenwich, Cutty Sark, and the Queen Anne Naval School, finally docking with a gorgeous view of Tower Bridge and the Shard.

Dinner was curry tonight. With help from our patients and Gen, we did what Leicester does best- a curry dinner which was hugely anticipated, (no pressure). By 8:15 we had turned out chickpeas, mixed vegetables and pilau rice.

When we came out to deck after dinner, Tower Bridge and the Shard were lit up. We sat in the cockpit for a last chat. Tomorrow we would be busy packing and finishing final paperwork.

Afterword The greatest gift from the trip was our feeling of teamwork and camaraderie. Laura, Felicity and Craig felt like long time known colleagues. But then you volunteered for a trip like this only if you felt and thought alike. I was extremely proud of our patients who put in so much effort, conquered their anxieties and got to know each other. Goodbye was painful. As I reached out to shake hands with one of the Norfolk and Suffolk patients, his face crumpled. ‘I want a hug’, he said. Human relationships transcend everything we do.

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